Explosion at Plymouth gas plant (WA)
PLYMOUTH, Wash. -- There's been an explosion at the natural gas plant in Plymouth. The plant is called Williams Northwest Pipeline Company and is located at 42612 E. Christy Road. The plant is just west of the I-82 bridge near McNary Dam. Part of Highway 14 is closed in the area. People are being evacuated along Highway 730. Neighbors say the explosion was huge and felt from as far away as Irrigon, which is six miles away. A command post for the media is being established at Highway 14 and I-82 for the sake of everyone's safety.
We are still gathering information on exactly what happened, but at this point it appears there was a pipeline explosion. Shrapnel from the explosion hit a container holding one billion cubic feet of natural gas which has resulted in a leak from that container. The potential blast zone is a two mile radius. People within that radius are being evacuated which includes the area from Plymouth to Paterson. The fumes from the rupture are dangerous to breathe. First responders are getting nauseated while trying to assist with evacuations. No injuries reported so far.
People are seeing flames from a fire but first responders say the fire is not the concern as much as the potential for the fire to hit the natural gas and result in a massive explosion.
Five buses are standing by ready to evacuate up to 200 people. Fire crews from all over the Tri-Cities are being sent there. People in the area are being directed to the Hermiston Fairgrounds as an evacuation site.
http://www.kimatv.com/news/local/Explosion-at-Plymouth-gas-plant-253219421.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
