April 5th, 2014
Massive Gas Explosion in Marshall County, WV
There has been a massive gas explosion in Marshall County, West Virginia.
Apparently, a gas line between Wayman's Ridge and Middle Creek that was as much as 12 inches in diameter ruptured, sending a column of flames into the sky. Thankfully, no one has been reported injured.
Marshall County West Virginia has been a center of the shale gas "fracking" boom. Massive gas infrastructure has been installed so companies can reap the benefits and profits of this newly-available gas. But maintenance and safety practices have not kept up. A Tyler County, WV explosion last year killed two men and severely injured another. A Sissonville, WV, blast destroyed homes and made national news for its incredible size and power.
A month ago, many died in a New York City gas explosion, so the problem is not limited to West Virginia by any means. Aging infrastructure needs to be maintained and the pace of work on new wells and pipelines needs to be consistent with doing the job safely. Without following those common sense rules, we cannot assure that fatal explosions will be prevented