NTSB: Unmarked gas line preceded fatal Dallas apartment explosion
(UI) - A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that an underground natural gas line was not marked before it was struck during drilling operations, leading to a fatal apartment explosion in Dallas that killed three people and injured six others.
According to the NTSB and Fox4 News, a contractor performing soil sampling on May 28 struck the gas line despite a Texas 811 utility locate request submitted a week earlier. Investigators said the specific natural gas line had not been identified or marked before drilling began. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to reports of a gas leak at 12:49 p.m., and the explosion occurred approximately 26 minutes later, before utility crews were able to isolate the leak.
The NTSB said Atmos Energy crews used a hydraulic squeeze-off technique to stop the flow of gas through the 4-inch polyethylene main, which was installed in 1988. The explosion destroyed the apartment building, forced the evacuation of nearby homes and apartment buildings, and prompted a multiagency investigation involving the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Railroad Commission of Texas, Atmos Energy, Dallas Fire-Rescue and utility locating contractors.
The federal investigation remains ongoing, and the NTSB emphasized that its report is preliminary. Investigators have not reached final conclusions regarding the cause of the explosion or potential liability, Fox4 News reported.
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