Pipeline ruptures in Howard County

The cause of the rupture is still unknown.

By Will Guldin

Published May 22, 2009

Flames shot more than 100 feet into the air Wednesday night as natural gas ignited after a pipeline ruptured in Howard County.

A Boone County Fire Protection District news release stated at 9 p.m. firefighters responded to calls of a possible structure fire and a large explosion in the area of western Boone County.

As firefighters got closer to the scene, they discovered the origin of the fire was actually in Howard County near county roads 427 and 436. When they arrived on the scene they discovered a ruptured 24-inch pipeline in a field that was shooting flames high into the sky.

Howard County Sheriff Charlie Polson, who was on the scene, said it sounded like a jet engine.

“It looked like an atomic bomb or a plane crash or something until you learned it was a natural gas line,” he said.

Polson said the intense heat of the blaze meant responders had to keep their distance. He said his biggest problem during the fire was keeping spectators far enough away from the flames.

Division Chief Gale Blomenkamp said even though the fire was out of their jurisdiction, the Boone County Fire District stayed on the scene until Howard County fire officials took over.

Blomenkamp said the fire continued until 11:30 p.m., but he said the fire was a good thing because it kept the natural gas from spreading.

“What makes the situation of a gas line rupture dangerous is when there is no fire,” Blomenkamp said. “You want to let that fire burn while you shut off the gas. Then the best thing for us to do is to let it burn itself out.”

Polson said no one was injured.

“Luckily it was in a rural area,” Polson said. “If it had been a half of a mile to the east there is a subdivision area there that we evacuated that could’ve been in danger had the conditions been a little different.”

The pipeline belonged to the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company and crews were present at the scene to help cut off gas flow to the ruptured section of the line.

Panhandle Eastern spokesman John Barnett said this type of incident is rare.

“Pipeline transportation is one of the safest forms of transportation according to the National Transportation Safety Board,” Barnett said. “These are operating everyday, 24 hours a day, and in most cases people do not even realize that they are there.”

Barnett said while the cause of the rupture was unknown, an investigative team from Panhandle Eastern was on the scene trying to determine the cause of the incident. He said repairs would not be made to the pipe until the on-scene investigation was over.