Unmarked gas line blamed for fatal Dallas apartment explosion, NTSB preliminary report reveals
NTSB: Gas line was not marked before deadly explosion
A gas line was not properly marked when a crew struck it before a deadly gas explosion at an Oak Cliff apartment complex in May. That's according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board released today.
DALLAS - A newly released preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that an underground natural gas line was left unmarked prior to a fatal apartment building explosion in Dallas in late May.
NTSB report on Dallas apartment explosion
What we know:
The May 28 explosion and subsequent fire at 409 East 9th Street completely destroyed the apartment structure, killing three people and injuring at least six others. The blast also forced the emergency evacuation of eight nearby single-family homes and three adjacent apartment buildings.
According to federal investigators, a third-party contractor, Barba Drilling, was operating a drill rig for soil sampling near the apartment building on behalf of Engineering and Consulting Services Southwest, LLP (ECS) on the morning of the disaster. Although ECS had submitted a legally required Texas 811 utility-locating ticket on May 21, a week prior to the incident, the specific natural gas line that was struck had not been identified or marked by locators.
Dallas gas explosion at apartment complex leaves 3 dead, sends multiple others to hospital
A suspected gas explosion and fire were reported on Thursday at an apartment building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Officials confirmed that at least three people were killed in the explosion, including a child.
Timeline:
The report outlines a tight timeline leading up to the explosion. Dallas Fire-Rescue first responded to a reported natural gas leak at 12:49 p.m. Two minutes later, at 12:51 p.m., fire officials notified the region's natural gas provider, Atmos Energy Corporation, that a line had been cut.
The deadly explosion happened at approximately 1:15 p.m. Atmos crews arrived on the scene five minutes later, at 1:20 p.m., and began working to isolate the leak.
To stop the flow of gas to the building, Atmos technicians performed a hydraulic "squeeze off" technique to flatten the 4-inch polyethylene main line. Crews completed the first pipe squeeze at 2:09 p.m. and the second at 2:41 p.m. Investigators noted that the natural gas main and the connected service lines were originally installed in 1988.
What's next:
The NTSB's investigation into the exact cause of the explosion remains ongoing. Several agencies and entities are participating as parties to the federal probe, including the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Railroad Commission of Texas, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Atmos Energy Corporation, Environmental Consulting Services, Limited, and USIC Locating Services, LLC.
Families file lawsuit against Atmos Energy
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Families lose belongings, loved ones in Dallas explosion
An explosion at a Dallas apartment complex has left at least three people dead and many without their belongings, pets or a place to call home. FOX 4's Amelia Jones and David Sentendrey have more about the ongoing recovery efforts and what residents are saying about the tragedy.
What they're saying:
An attorney representing several victims said this explosion was preventable, and believes Atmos is responsible.
"It's long overdue for this company to step up and treat North Texas like a first-class citizen and treat us the same way that they treat people in other states with regard to their safety rules and how they handle the pipelines," said attorney Chris Hamilton.
Several lawsuits have been filed against Atmos Energy for negligence.
Last month, a judge granted a temporary restraining order tied to the civil lawsuits forcing Atmos to preserve evidence connected to the explosion.
"We are pleased, at least, that certain evidence that we're going to need and will be very important should be preserved, but now we're going to proceed with document discovery with subpoenas, depositions, and putting Atmos executives under oath, getting answers to these questions, including the pattern of problems with their pipelines," Hamilton said.
The attorney said the victims he's representing are focused on putting one foot in front of another to get their lives back on track. But they are also committed to accountability.
"This is one, not 99% 100% preventable, and shouldn't be happening. And so I think that, you know, the victims are just trying to survive right now, but everybody is committed to getting accountability and justice, because that's what is going to be necessary to protect our communities and prevent this from happening again," he said.
The other side:
Atmos Energy is placing the blame on the third-party contractor hired to locate the gas lines before drilling.
FOX 4 tried to reach out to Texas 811 for a statement but did not hear back.
The drilling company mentioned in the report also has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The Source: Information in this article is from the NTSB and previous reporting.