Details are a little hazy (I was 11 at the time), but I was able to find more info once I discovered the internet...
At about 3am, some Williams pipeline techs notice a significant pressure drop in one of their lines. They say something brilliant, along the lines of "Huh, that's weird. We'll check into it after a coffee break" and do [i]nothing.[i]
A woman delivering papers ignites the fire after driving over the gas spill with a dragging muffler.
Big giant explosion, lots of people wake up to see a huge fireball, and after crapping their pajamas, run out their doors to run away. The Spano family's house was next to the flames - the dad took the oldest daughter out the back door, but the mom panicked and took the youngest daughter out the front door, directly into the flames. They died a few days later.
The city of Mounds View tried to take Williams to court, saying they couldn't turn the gas lines back on until they were inspected and proven to be safe. Williams Pipeline gathers lawyers and
sues the city of Mounds View to turn the lines back on without inspection or addressing safety concerns.
For some reason, I tend to be a bit pessimistic about Williams Pipeline company and their ability to run their business without blowing up on a regular basis.
