October 8, 2008: Big Bang

badcat · 10-08-2008, 01:12 PM

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.

Gravdigr · 10-08-2008, 02:59 PM

Don't know whose line it is, but about 15 years ago a 36" gas main blew out about three miles from my house. Luckily, (and incredibly) there was no fiery explosion, just the force of the psi blowing out of the pipe. Even so, we could hear the roar easily inside our house 3 mi. away. We had to shout to hear each other outside. It left a hole with a surface area of about a half acre.

(P.S. Can a hole have "surface" area?)

SPUCK · 10-09-2008, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badcat

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]

Nothing? They did a better job than the Russians a few years ago. They saw the pressure drop and dialed it back up to normal!! It was out in a remote valley. It filled the valley with a nice fuel air ratio. A big passenger train went into the valley. It never came out again. The train people wondered why the train never showed up. Someone went to investigate. OHMYGAWD!!!

10-08-2008, 02:59 PM	#2
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Don't know whose line it is, but about 15 years ago a 36" gas main blew out about three miles from my house. Luckily, (and incredibly) there was no fiery explosion, just the force of the psi blowing out of the pipe. Even so, we could hear the roar easily inside our house 3 mi. away. We had to shout to hear each other outside. It left a hole with a surface area of about a half acre. (P.S. Can a hole have "surface" area?) __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

10-08-2008, 01:12 PM	#1
badcat Non-Newbie Sort Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 6	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.

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