Residents near Virginia natural gas explosion uncertain about safety

On Sunday, a natural gas explosion destroyed a home and injured two people. Neighbors in the Fairfax County neighborhood near the destroyed home were aware several natural gas pipelines ran through the area and they’re worried.

Lou Ann Craig has lived in the Centreville neighborhood near where the gas explosion took place for 39 years.

Her family has not been evacuated and her gas is still on.

“I am one of the lucky ones that, yes, we do have full service right now and we are living in the house,” Craig said.

When she bought the house, she was aware there was a natural gas distribution pipeline nearby.

“It changes every day, who’s out here, but as far as I know, they have not found the leak,” Craig said, referring to the troublesome leak on a 1,000-foot-long stretch of pipeline on which engineers have not yet been able to discover precisely where the leak is.

The National Transportation Safety Board, known mostly for investigating aviation and other transportation incidents, is also tasked with overseeing pipelines and when an incident such as this occurs, investigators are sent to the scene. In this case, four investigators will be here for several days searching for evidence and monitoring the scene.

The agency will be looking into any human factors, the pipeline system and the operating environment. A final report could take up to 18 months to two years to prepare, officials said.

Assistant Chief of Operations for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Eric Craven said Wednesday that there was a “loss of pressure” in a section of pipe where investigators are looking for the site of the gas leak.

“The line along Belle Plains Drive is a distribution line, maintained and operated by Washington Gas. The distribution lines on the easement, on the other side of the house that exploded, are transmission lines owned, maintained by Williams Pipeline,” Craven said.

Craven said where the pipe had a loss of pressure when tested with air is the source of “a leak,” but it is still unclear if it is the leak that caused the explosion.

“We want to make sure that the area is extensively investigated to make sure that any leaks are found and addressed. But yes, there is a loss of pressure when tested with air, which means when it had natural gas in it, there was most likely a leak of natural gas from that pipeline,” he said.

“Washington Gas will continue to find and repair any leaks associated with the loss in pressure on that line on Belle Plains Drive. It’s estimated that this could take 48 hours or longer,” Craven added.

James Crockett says authorities have kept residents informed, but now several days into the search for the gas leak, it’s unsettling.

“Mainly, it’s nervousness, not … having an answer,” he said. “You’re on pins and needles. We’re just waiting to see if we have to evacuate, or if we can stay.”

Fairfax firefighters continue to go door-to-door to monitor gas levels at houses situated along the pipeline.

Craig’s home is near the investigation’s command center, and said that brings her some comfort as a neighbor told her authorities would not set up at a location that’s unsafe.

“They will try to give us three to four hours to evacuate, so I feel lucky, grateful. I’m glad my house is not for sale right now, because I think if I was a buyer, I’d certainly take that into consideration,” she said.

Pat Warren, director of the NTSB’s Office of Rail, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Investigations, said the federal agency is working with local agencies in its investigation “to determine the probable cause of accidents, issue safety recommendations and prevent future events like this from ever happening again.”

WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.

Source