Gas Fires in Texas, One Man Hospitalized

Yesterday an Irving, Texas, resident barely escaped with his life when his house exploded. It is reported that just before the blast, he lit a cigarette. There was no gas smell detected at the time. There is a pipeline under the street where the man lives, and the gas company is investigating. Read more here.

Today, in San Antonio, Texas, a construction crew hit a 24-inch pipeline, causing a huge explosion which burned for 90 minutes. No injuries were reported. Read more here.

With the natural gas industry bent on extracting every last morsel of natural gas from the planet, we all are faced with the prospect of living with buried pipelines everywhere- under our streets, under our homes, under our playgrounds, under our schools- everywhere. Pipelines have proven to be extremely dangerous. Buried quite deep underground or not far from the surface, they can develop leaks which go undetected. Construction crews can accidentally cut into a pipeline, even when they know it's there. Pipeline inspections may be inadequate or non-existent. Corrosion occurs inside the pipe where it cannot be seen.

Are we as citizens going to stand for the pipeline permits to be issued by our elected officials in our counties, townships, and cities? How many deaths are tolerable for the sake of a gas company's profits? How much collateral damage is acceptable?

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!