ALEX, Okla. (AP) - A natural gas pipeline exploded early Friday in Grady County, injuring two people, destroying three homes and forcing the closure of a highway.
A 20-inch round line exploded less than 50 yards north of State Highway 19, two miles east of Alex. The highway between Alex and Bradley could be closed until noon, a state Transportation Department spokeswoman said.
"The immediate threat is over. Everyone has been accounted for," Grady County sheriff's Capt. Robert Jolley said.
Two mobile homes and a rock house within one-fourth of a mile of each other caught fire and were destroyed, said Gil Broyles, spokesman for the pipeline's operator Enogex. There were no other houses in the area and no cause for further evacuation. The explosion, which could be heard for a couple of miles, caused a grass fire, Jolley said.
A man and woman in a mobile home were hurt, Broyles said.
The man's identity and the extent of his injuries isn't known. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha. Mildred Hull was in good condition at the Integris Baptist Medical Center burn unit, a hospital spokeswoman said. She has second- and third-degree burns on nearly 17 percent of her body.
Two people in a mobile home that caught fire weren't hurt, Broyles said. The rock house was unoccupied.
A section of pipe about 16 to 18 feet long blew, causing a crater 30 to 40 feet wide, Broyles said.
"When the pressure drop was noted, we manually closed valves on either end of the leak," Broyles said.
The explosion's cause isn't known. Enogex and Oklahoma Corporation Commission inspectors have been sent to the scene.
Grady County Fire Chief Perry Wenzel, who lives 20 miles from the explosion site, said he could see flames from his house.
"They (the victims) are very lucky to be alive," Wenzel said.
The pipeline, built in 1975, transports natural gas from wells northwest of Thomas in Custer County to a production plant south of Alex.
No problems were found when its integrity was inspected last year and when a routine maintenance operation was performed within the last week, Broyles said.
Local news
Related Photos
-
Photo provided by the Chickasha Express-Star
Discussion
NEW: Natural gas pipeline explosion injures 2
- Local news
-
-
Sequoyah students tour OU
Native American high school students from Tahlequah’s boarding school, Sequoyah Schools, visited the University of Oklahoma campus yesterday as part of a special recruitment program sponsored and organized by Sooner Engineering Education ...
-
Audit leads to arrest
A Norman woman has been charged with embezzlement after her employer alleged she made payments to herself and others, in the amount of $14,286.08, using unauthorized checks....
-
All about the birds
MOORE — There was some squawking and ruffled feathers Friday at Moore Central Junior High school....
-
Veterans give lesson in flag etiquette
MOORE — Veterans continuing to serve Old Glory through the Veterans School Flag Program presented a flag etiquette class to students at Moore High School on Friday....
-
Norman man convicted of rape
A Cleveland County jury has convicted a Norman man on one count of first-degree rape and one count of second-degree rape by instrumentation....
-
City candidates discuss balance of funding
By Joy Hampton Transcript Staff Writer Local Democrats have been hosting city council candidates at their weekly Cornbread and Beans luncheon held Fridays at Norman’s new events center, Catering Creations, 3750 W. Main. The meal is served ...
-
Norman Meals on Wheels receives grant as recognition for “Share The Love” event
Meals on Wheels of Norman, Inc. has been awarded a $2,000 grant from Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) in recognition of its participation in MOWAA's “Share The Love” Most Meals Contest. As part of Subaru of America, Inc.'s ...
-
Weekend to see wintry mix
Winter weather has finally arrived. Although Norman is not likely to see a heavy accumulation of precipitation, the National Weather Service predicts that the area is in for a messy Monday morning commute....
-
Company aims to aid growth
A new company to join the Noble and Norman Chambers of Commerce is in the business of helping merchants build their clientele through client retention and contact management. Dawn McNutt, executive director of the Noble Chamber of ...
-
Union members protest GCI at new OU dorm site
Members of Carpenters Local Union No. 329 conducted a protest Thursday morning in front of the construction site of a new dormitory on the University of Oklahoma campus....
- More Local news Headlines
-
