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PHOTO & VIDEO: News Footage Video of the 1998 Longhorn Pipeline explosion
PHOTO & VIDEO: News Footage Video of the 1998 Longhorn Pipeline explosion
VIDEO: View the News footage from News2Houston.
A two month old section of the Longhorn Pipeline exploded in Houston on October 7, 1998, while inspecting the pipeline's integrity. Workers were using 1,000 gallons of diesel to carry a smart pig inspection device inside the line when diesel was spotted spewing as high as 25 feet in the air.
After the explosion, one industrial and 76 commercial electricity customers lost electricity for less than an hour when a 152,000-volt transmission tower collapsed from the intense heat. 150 homes were evacuated while the fire was brought under control. The assistant fire chief said that ground saturation from recent rains probably kept the fire from spreading. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from several miles away.
The worker inspecting the line was treated at the scene for burns to his left arm.
O.B. Harris, Longhorn's vice president in charge of operations and engineering, said he was puzzled by the explosion. "A brand new piece of pipe, with all the quality checks we ran on the pipe... This just doesn't make sense to me," Harris said.
U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks strongly suggested that the company overseeing the project check with him before again using petroleum products to test the line. "It just blew my mind" when he learned of the explosion, said Sparks. He said of the prospect of additional testing, "If you are going to do it any more... it sure would be a good idea to file a motion."
Sources:
Austin American Statesman, October 8-9, 1998
Houston Chronicle, October 8, 1998
Reporter-news.com, November 21, 1998
VIDEO: View the News footage from News2Houston.
A two month old section of the Longhorn Pipeline exploded in Houston on October 7, 1998, while inspecting the pipeline's integrity. Workers were using 1,000 gallons of diesel to carry a smart pig inspection device inside the line when diesel was spotted spewing as high as 25 feet in the air.
After the explosion, one industrial and 76 commercial electricity customers lost electricity for less than an hour when a 152,000-volt transmission tower collapsed from the intense heat. 150 homes were evacuated while the fire was brought under control. The assistant fire chief said that ground saturation from recent rains probably kept the fire from spreading. Thick smoke could be seen billowing from several miles away.
The worker inspecting the line was treated at the scene for burns to his left arm.
O.B. Harris, Longhorn's vice president in charge of operations and engineering, said he was puzzled by the explosion. "A brand new piece of pipe, with all the quality checks we ran on the pipe... This just doesn't make sense to me," Harris said.
U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks strongly suggested that the company overseeing the project check with him before again using petroleum products to test the line. "It just blew my mind" when he learned of the explosion, said Sparks. He said of the prospect of additional testing, "If you are going to do it any more... it sure would be a good idea to file a motion."
Sources:
Austin American Statesman, October 8-9, 1998
Houston Chronicle, October 8, 1998
Reporter-news.com, November 21, 1998
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