Explosion rattles Martin County

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  • The silhouettes of a trencher and a maintainer can be seen sitting next to a raging inferno after trenching crews struck a high pressure natural gas pipeline. Four other pieces of heavy machinery and vehicles on an oilfield location a few hundred feet away were also burned up when the gas vapors ignited.
    The silhouettes of a trencher and a maintainer can be seen sitting next to a raging inferno after trenching crews struck a high pressure natural gas pipeline. Four other pieces of heavy machinery and vehicles on an oilfield location a few hundred feet away were also burned up when the gas vapors ignited.
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MARTIN COUNTY - Four victims were taken to the Martin County Hospital following a gas line explosion Tuesday afternoon in the middle of Martin County.

A trenching crew was working near Highway 137 and County Road D3800 when the trencher struck a high pressure gas line owned by Enterprise Products Partners L.P.

Natural gas vapors began spewing from the 14,000# psi pipeline and eventually ignited causing a huge explosion and mushroom cloud that could be seen for dozens of miles.

All four victims were transported to Martin County Hospital by private vehicle and one was later flown to Lubbock to receive treatment for burns.

The three patients at Martin County Hospital were released with none serious injuries or no injuries while the patient sent to Lubbock was reported in critical condition.

Fire crews from Lenorah, Stanton, and Ackerly responded and secured the scene.

Officials with Enterprise Products Partners L.P. eventually decided the best and safest course of action would be to let the fire burn off the extra natural gas liquids still in the pipeline until liquid nitrogen could be shot down the pipeline to extinguish the rest of the fire.