A natural gas pipeline in Piedmont, Oklahoma exploded Wednesday, September 16, 2020, triggering a fire that could be seen for miles, which led to the evacuation of some residents in the rural area.  

As the explosion erupted in the countryside of Piedmont, the fire continued to spark a number of bushes and hay bales and then damaged a number of power poles which led to a short blackout. According to Chief Logan, the explosion was the result of a rupture in a 12-inch high-pressure underground line. This explosion has created a huge commotion in the rural neighborhood of Piedmont this week. A resident named Dennis Christensen, stated: “our power went off, then in half a second an explosion as loud as you can imagine popped.” While the exact cause of this explosion is still under investigation, the petroleum company DCP, reported that the fire blew for half an hour before a gas valve under the residency was shut off. Piedmont officials said the company will pay for all the damage and cleanup from the explosion.

According to Piedmont Fire Chief Andy Logan, the explosion was the result of a rupture in a 12-inch high-pressure underground line. The blast left a crater-sized hole roughly 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, while the blast produced a fireball reaching a height of 150 feet. The flames were quickly contained by the Piedmont Fire Department. 

by Jacob Kim