Pipeline rupture causes fire in North Dakota

A pipeline rupture in Tioga, North Dakota US, caused an explosion and fire on Monday (February 10th). The natural gas pipeline, owned by Hiland Partners, exploded in the evening, luckily causing no damage to third-party property and no injuries. 

The incident was attended by Tioga Fire and Ambulance Department, which opted to park emergency vehicles half a mile away from the site of the explosion due to the intensity of the blaze. The valves to the pipeline were shut off to allow the fire to burn out rather than firefighters attempt to control the blaze. Around half an hour after the gas supply had been shut off, the fire stopped.

A traffic blockade was set up by police to keep residents and traffic away from the area, although the blaze was visible several towns over. Firefighters and emergency services remained at the site until the blaze burned out completely a few hours after the initial explosion.

The explosion occurred at the Highland Partners processing site and did not spread further than company land. No buildings on the site were destroyed or damaged by the explosion or subsequent fire. Equipment damage was also minimal, according to reports from the scene.

An environmental response team from the Health Department was dispatched to aid with the clean-up of the site and to ensure than no further safety measures beyond shutting of the gas supply will need to be taken. It is not yet known what caused the pipeline to rupture but Hiland has begun an investigation into the incident.

Hiland is able to perform the investigation itself due to the fact the pipeline was part of a small gathering line and because the fire was contained within the company's own system. The firm will have to report any findings to state agencies. It has not yet been estimated how much natural gas was lost as a result of the rupture, however, as the pipeline was small and the valves were shut off quickly it could turn out to be a minimal amount.