Latest news with #gasleak
CBS News
19 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Gas line rupture prompts evacuations in downtown Arlington
A gas line break in downtown Arlington has led to evacuations near the intersection of West Main Street and Oak Street. Emergency crews are on the scene, and a command post has been set up to coordinate the response. "Atmos crews are currently on scene," Arlington police spokesman Tim Ciesco said. "We are blocking off Main Street between Center Street and Oak Street while they work to make repairs. It's our understanding (that) the leak was reported by a construction company that was working in the area. "Businesses near the leak have been evacuated as a precaution. Those folks are currently being sheltered at the Downtown Arlington Library. There are no reports of any injuries." Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area until further notice. CBS News Texas will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Washington Post
Propane manager guilty of manslaughter in blast that killed Va. firefighter
After a house in Loudoun County, Virginia, exploded last year, killing a firefighter, prosecutors charged a gas company manager with involuntary manslaughter, saying he failed to take steps to stop a leak from an underground propane tank. On Monday, a Loudoun jury found him guilty of that charge and three misdemeanors related to the gas leak after deliberating for four days. Loudoun firefighter Trevor Brown, 45, was killed instantly by the blast in the county's Sterling area, which leveled a two-story house owned by Kelley Woods. On Feb. 14, 2024, Woods requested a refill of her propane tank, which evidence showed had been previously diagnosed with a leak. When a Southern States Petroleum Service technician began filling the tank two days later, he smelled the telltale odor added to propane and stopped after 125 gallons. The technician called Roger L. Bentley, the service manager, who soon arrived the house on a Friday afternoon. He told Woods the odor 'wasn't a big deal,' according to prosecutors. They said Bentley told Woods that Southern States would return Monday to dig up and replace the tank, which had been installed in 1991. Bentley allegedly told Woods not to worry and that if the odor worsened, Woods should call him, not the fire department, which he predicted would make 'a big deal out of nothing.' Within hours of Bentley leaving, the odor had spread and neighbors called the fire department, who then called Bentley, according to testimony at his trial in Loudoun Circuit Court. Bentley assured the firefighters that the leak was minor, but when the firefighters' gas measurements showed high levels of propane, they evacuated the house and nearby homes around 8 p.m., prosecutors said. Minutes later, the house exploded, sending a thunderous boom across Loudoun and pummeling nearby houses with violent shock waves. Brown, standing in the front yard, was killed by a piece of the house as it shot outward, court records show. Two firefighters were trapped in the basement, while 10 other firefighters and numerous neighbors suffered injuries. Part of the couch Woods had been sitting on minutes earlier was found in a tree. 'He walked away without warning anyone, doing anything and left a land mine,' Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Eden Holmes said of Bentley in her closing argument. She said Bentley 'knew the risk of just allowing propane to flow out into the yard. … If the defendant had not made these choices, this house would not have exploded.' But Bentley didn't smell anything particularly bad, didn't see or hear any evidence of a leak when examining the top of the tank, and his gas detection device only picked up 'a faint residual odor,' defense lawyer Kelly L. King said. She said Bentley repeatedly told investigators that 'he didn't know there was a leak.' Bentley 'didn't walk away from a leak,' King said, trying to shift blame to the homeowner. 'He didn't know. The only one who knew was Kelley Woods. She was obligated to keep that tank safe,' having learned in 2017 that it was damaged and being told in 2021 that it would cost $5,200 to replace the tank. Bentley also told Woods her tank needed to be replaced, but Woods didn't tell him she had previously been told of a leak, King said. 'Somehow it becomes her word that ends up becoming the basis of this prosecution,' King said. Bentley told her to call him any time over the weekend, and that as a 38-year employee with a spotless record, he had no reason to walk away from potential trouble. 'There's not been one shred of evidence that Roger Bentley knew there was a leak,' King said. 'Why come back Monday and take [the tank] out if there isn't a leak?' Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Brian Boyle asked in rebuttal, though he acknowledged Woods never heard Bentley use the word 'leak.' But when Bentley left without taking further action and told Woods not to call the fire department, 'that's the 'callous disregard'' needed to qualify as involuntary manslaughter, Boyle said. Bentley, 68, was indicted by a Loudoun grand jury in October for manslaughter and three misdemeanor counts for releasing hazardous materials and failing to record or mitigate a harmful discharge. The trial started July 7, and the jury deliberated for 23 hours over four days on the four counts. Jurors declined to comment afterward. Sentencing was set for Nov. 6. Bentley, who did not testify during the trial, did not react to the verdict and declined to comment afterward. He was allowed to remain free pending sentencing by Loudoun Circuit Court Judge James E. Plowman Jr. Bentley faces a sentencing range of probation up to 10 years in prison. Loudoun Commonwealth's Attorney Bob D. Anderson said charging Bentley with a crime was intensely discussed within his office, and 'it wasn't an easy decision to make.' But he and his prosecutors decided 'there are repercussions for certain activity. And the jury found that activity required certain repercussions.' James S. Williams, the Loudoun fire chief, called the case 'an important chapter in our overall recovery. But nothing brings Trevor back.' Williams said eight of the firefighters injured that night have returned to duty, but two are still on leave. Bentley and Southern States also face a lawsuit filed in May by Brown's widow, Woods and her tenant, one of the injured firefighters and several neighbors of the house on Silver Ridge Drive. Brown had three children, now ages 12, 10 and 8. Demetry Pikrallidas, a lawyer for three of the plaintiffs, maintained that the explosion was 'a preventable disaster — plain and simple.' Pikrallidas said: 'It was mishandled from the outset. Our position has always been, and remains, that this was the result of a systemic failure by Southern States.' No trial date has been set for the civil case. The leak from the 23-year-old propane tank was determined to be coming from two fingertip-size holes in the bottom of the tank, the lawyers in the case said, which couldn't be seen from the ground. And then below the tank, a french drain had been installed from the basement into the backyard, which investigators believe may have funneled the propane into the house. But the investigators could not determine what sparked the blast, in part because of the annihilation of Woods' home. 'If they can't tell you what the ignition source is,' King said, 'how can they prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Roger Bentley caused it?' To prove involuntary manslaughter, the prosecution had to show that Bentley's actions were 'gross, wanton and culpable to show a callous disregard for human life' and that they were the 'proximate cause' of Brown's death.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Dumfries roundabout fully reopening after 'complex' gasworks
Businesses in Dumfries have spoken of their relief following confirmation that "complex" work to fix a gas leak is complete. The work began last month after reports by a member of the public of a gas escape on the A701 at the Bloomfield roundabout. It has led to the closure of the road northbound, lengthy delays on the nearby A75 Dumfries bypass, and disruption to a local farm park and a garden centre. Distribution company SGN has confirmed that the road will reopen on Wednesday. The work was originally scheduled to end on July 18, but this was delayed by slow ground test results following the discovery of a discarded asbestos Waseem Hanif confirmed that "specialist repairs" were now complete."Our team began resurfacing over the weekend and work continues at pace," he added."Due to the thickness of the tar and the multiple layers of road surface required to restore the carriageway to specification, each stage must be allowed sufficient time to cool and cure properly."We're working quickly and safely to complete the process, with the road expected to fully reopen on Wednesday 23 July," he said. During the roadworks local businesses like Dalscone Farm and Heathhall Garden Centre and its connected coffee shop have remained Best, owner of Dalscone Farm Fun, described the works as "horrendous" but added it was "fantastic" they were said it created "awful trading conditions" as the roundabout closure shut off 50% of the access to his property."That's been reflected in ticket numbers and turnover and it's been really, really difficult."People coming from further afield don't mind it as much - in the grand scheme of things it isn't too bad - but our local customers have just stayed away," he said. Nearby family-run Heathhall Garden Centre had a similar businesses dealt with a recent 11-week drainage project that saw two-way timed traffic lights this latest set of works has seen between a 25 and 30% drop off in business for the garden centre, its owner Barr said this level of works hadn't happened in more than 30 years."We just have to keep opening the doors hoping the local people that support us day to day come back and continue to support us," she said it was "grateful to the Dumfries community and local businesses" for their continued patience and support as it completed complex and vital work.
ABC News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Chevron's Barrow Island gas leak sparks scrutiny of Western Australia's oil and gas decommissioning
Two environmental incidents in quick succession linked to aging oil and gas infrastructure in Western Australia's north have prompted questions over the industry's commitment to decommissioning and clean-up work. Oil and gas giant Chevron ended oil production on Barrow Island, 50 kilometres north west of Karratha on WA's Pilbara coast in mid-May, and is preparing to decommission the site. It has now confirmed that at the time, it detected an unknown amount of gas leaking into the island's groundwater and surface from underground. "As part of detailed planning for the decommissioning of WA oil infrastructure, data analysis has indicated an environmental risk from the subsurface migration of hydrocarbons, primarily gas, to groundwater and the surface," a Chevron spokesperson said. "We have informed relevant regulatory agencies, and we will work with them to develop a comprehensive investigation program." A spokesperson for the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration said the extent of the gas flow is not yet known, and it is investigating the situation. The gas leak came in the same month an oil spill near the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef occurred while Woodside was decommissioning the offshore Griffin oil and gas field. Decommissioning refers to the process of safely closing a mine or oil and gas site, with the expectation that the impacted environment will be rehabilitated afterwards. Greens MLC Sophie McNeill said the incident was "deeply concerning". "Used offshore oil and gas structures can rupture, they can leak and decay, and that causes chemical and heavy metals to spread into the environment," she said. "The Greens are calling on the state government to properly regulate the gas industry and ensure that they actually do clean up their sites, and that they spend the money needed to decommission them properly." Chevron did not say how much it is planning to spend on decommissioning the Barrow Island oil project. But it pointed to its work on Thevenard Island, south of Barrow Island, where it has almost finished dismantling all infrastructure from an oil project that closed in 2014, as evidence of its commitment to decommissioning. WA Nationals leader and shadow mines and petroleum minister Shane Love said he was seeking further information from the state government about the Barrow Island incident. "Any potential gas leaks or contamination should always be treated with the utmost seriousness," Mr Love said. "Decommissioning is set to become a major industry in the coming decades as oil and gas assets reach end-of-life. It is absolutely vital that this work is done to the highest possible standard," he said. Mr Love said he had also been in contact with Chevron representatives, who assured him they were addressing the situation. The incidents are symptoms of a nationwide problem as a generation of offshore oil and gas infrastructure reaches the end of its working life. A study by the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA), an industry-backed research body, found the cost of plugging the country's oil wells and removing its underwater pipelines would be roughly $60 billion. Most of the infrastructure that will need to be decommissioned is located in the Northern Carnarvon Basin, off the north-west coast of WA. In 2012, WA became the first state to set up a levy for mining companies to fund the rehabilitation of abandoned mine sites. But it did not include offshore oil and gas producers. A review of the Mining Rehabilitation Fund released in 2024, revealed some consultants approached by the report's authors suggested widening the fund's scope to include oil and gas on land and within state waters. But the report itself did not consider the idea. "We have not identified whether there is a strong case for government intervention in this area," the report read. Asked if the WA government would consider widening the scope of the fund, or requiring energy companies to pay a separate levy, Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael said existing laws and regulations were appropriate. He said the government's updated decommissioning policy and regulations for the industry had been released last year. "The state government has the power to direct an operator to meet its decommissioning and rehabilitation obligations," he said. "These documents outline the government's expectations for decommissioning and provide clear guidance to registered holders on [their] obligations."
LBCI
14-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Blast in residential block near Iran's Qom
An explosion at a residential building injured seven people in the Pardisan neighborhood of Qom city, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported, going on to quote an unnamed source saying it was not the result of any Israeli attack. "Four residential units were damaged in the blast. Initial assessments show that the cause of the incident was a gas leak, and follow-ups are continuing in this regard," the director of Qom's fire department told Fars. The agency stated that the building's residents were ordinary citizens. Iran's regional arch-rival Israel has a record of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists, whom it considers part of a program that directly threatens Israel. Tehran maintains its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. Since the end of a 12-day air war last month between Iran and Israel, in which Israel and the United States attacked Iran's nuclear facilities, several explosions have occurred in Iran, but authorities have not blamed Israel. "People should not worry about rumors (of Israeli attacks). If a hostile action occurs in the country, the news will immediately reach the people, and alarm bells will simultaneously be activated in the Occupied Territories," Fars quoted an unnamed Iranian source as saying following the blast in Qom. Reuters
