Federal investigator examining Audrain County pipeline explosion
The Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration has sent a federal investigator to the site of a natural gas pipeline explosion in Audrain County.
The PHMSA said Monday in response to questions from ABC 17 News that the “failed section of pipe” will be shipped to a laboratory for analysis.
A pipeline owned by the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co. ruptured about a mile north of Mexico just off Highway 15 early Sunday, shooting a large fireball into the sky that could be seen for miles. No injuries were reported in the blast but a construction site was damaged and a few homes were left without electricity.
Highway 15 remained closed Monday.
According to the PHMSA website, the lead investigator at the scene works to determine the cause of the incident and other contributing factors.
The site also said most incidents are the result from seven causes: corrosion, excavation damage, incorrect operation, equipment failure, material or weld failure, natural force damage or outside force damage.
The PHMSA did not give a timeline for the investigation.
Panhandle Eastern has been the subject of regulatory scrutiny in the recent past, with Pennsylvania officials suspending its permit reviews, saying the company failed to comply with orders after an explosion there. Panhandle has also been fined for issues in Cole County and Pettis County.
