House Explodes - Woman, Dog Killed

[Ken]

House Explodes - Woman, Dog Killed

This may make me rethink my preference for natural gas.

My Mother lives two blocks away. I was able to get to her house. They have cut all gas and electric service to the area (800 homes) but she says she's staying home. Only about 50 homes have mandatory evacuation at this time.

PLEASE: If you even catch a whiff of gas, get outdoors until you KNOW it's safe to go back inside.

TSHTF in a different way tonight in my hometown:


This TV News link should be current for about 12 hours: http://www.turnto10.com/

Newspaper Link: http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090219/NEWS/90219012

[catfish10101]

This is a terrible event and can happen to anyone, but think about the number of homes that are burned down because of faulty wiring, electric heaters, shorted plugs, overloaded curcuits, etc. There is always a danger of fire even without natural gas. Now think about how many homes you have actually known of or even heard about that have totally exploded because of a gas leak. Not more than 2 counting this one probably. As with ANY energy source, there is danger and a need for maintenence, and periodical inspection. Also if a problem is found, it should be corrected right away. Personally, I love my gas central heater, gas oven, gas stove, and gas water heater (but for some reason, I still have an electric clothes dryer...go figure).

[laughing beetle]

There are a lot of natural gas wellings in my neck of the woods. I remember a few years back in one community, a family was injured when their house blew up from the natural gas that was seeping up from the bedrock. the people survived, and rebuilt. another year later, their house blew up again. if i remember right, one person did die, and the property was abandoned. This wasn't from piped gas, this was from mother nature herself...just natural seepage. There is natural gas in the well water at my place. We can fill a soda bottle half full, let the gas bubbles collect for a minute, then light a match over the bottle. FWOOMP! kinda cool, but scarey at the same time. i don't do that trick indoors though. Ken, i am very glad your mother is safe. jen

[crashdive123]

Not to change the topic (but I guess that I did). There is natural gas seepage in many parts of the country. The most prolific areas are some of the ocean floor just off shore. There is one sure way to stop it - relieve the pressure by drilling.

[nell67]

Glad your mother is ok Ken.

[Ken]

Glad your mother is ok Ken.

Thanks, Nell. With three boys, she could handle pretty much anything and always kept tons of EVERYTHING in the house. Nothing's changed. She can still get by quite comfortably in most situations. :)

[Ken]

Ken, i am very glad your mother is safe. jen

Thanks, Jen! :)

[oly]

Natural gas is a safe way to heat your home if you have a competent service Tech. inspect your appliances.
Natural gas is lighter than air so its safer than LP gas (propane) which is heavier than air and stays in lower areas just looking for an ignition source.
One of my biggest concerns for people is that if the SHTF weather its just a power outage or what ever is carbon monoxide poisoning (CO), all fueling burning equipment must be vented to the outdoors. they have nonvented fire places and I grab my CO detector and show them that they still produce CO, they do have an ODS (oxygen depletion sensitivity sensor) but I dont wont to bet my life on that.
Common CO poisoning cracked heat exchangers, improper venting, blocked venting, nonvented heaters in tents or RVs, operating generators in an garage, warming up cars in a garage, BBQing in an garage even when the garage door is open, and DIYers that dont have a clue.
the best CO detector is a CO monitor and not the CO detector.

now back to Natural gas, the gas smell must have been enormous

http://www.questargas.com/brochures/59052.pdf

[crashdive123]

Glad your mom is OK. Give her our best.

[Ken]

Glad your mom is OK. Give her our best.

Thanks Crash!

I just drove by the area about 20 minutes ago. You can see debris hanging from several trees near where the house once stood. Sad.

[Ken]

now back to Natural gas, the gas smell must have been enormous

http://www.questargas.com/brochures/59052.pdf

Oly, they had a few gas company trucks and a fire truck in the area for about 40 minutes before the explosion. The smell of gas was extremely strong throughout the area.

The house was leveled - just a few pipes sticking out of the ground. A gas company van parked directly across the street was blown 30 feet away. A mattress sat on the roof of the house next door.

I just find it incredible that homes were not evacuated before the explosion.

[oly]

I just find it incredible that homes were not evacuated before the explosion.

That is surprising to me to. And I forgot to mention that Im glad your mom is OK :chair:

[laughingbeetle]

Wow!! It is incredible that more people weren't injured or killed!!

[Stargazer]

Ken I read that in the local paper. I'm glad to hear youre mom is ok.

[Ole WV Coot]

I've only seen the results of one gas explosion while working (two men killed). After that I opened a manhole in the middle of the closest city, didn't need my detector, called it in after barricading it off. Was a 6" main and the supervisor wanted to leave it, a worker knew better and fixed it. Supervisor didn't want to pay OT, typical...

[Ken]

Ken I read that in the local paper. I'm glad to hear youre mom is ok.

Thanks, my friend!