"Fugitive gas" leaked from pipeline that caused fatal house explosion in Colo.
FIRESTONE, Colo. -- Firefighters discussed their investigation into a fatal house explosion near a gas well in Colorado on Tuesday afternoon.
Investigators talked about the details during a news conference about the April 17 explosion in Firestone that killed two people and left another badly burned, according to CBS Denver.
"There is no threat to surrounding homes as a result of the incident," said Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District Chief Ted Poszywak.
Poszywak said that it was "fugitive gas" from a severed and uncapped line. He also said the proximity of the well to the home did not play a role in the explosion.
"Abandoned flow lines were the source of the leak and the explosion," said Poszywak.
Colorado's chief oil and gas regulator says the state doesn't have a complete record of all gas lines in the state like the one that resulted in the April blast.
Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Director Matt Lepore said Tuesday operators are required to tell regulators the planned route of the pipelines that carry gas from a well to storage tanks or other collection points. But he says the state doesn't have a record of all the lines ever installed.
Lepore says unused pipelines are supposed to be disconnected and sealed at both ends and all flammable gas should be removed.
Gov. John Hickenlooper on Tuesday ordered inspections of all active and unused natural gas pipelines near occupied buildings.
Erin Martinez, a physics and chemistry teacher, survived the deadly explosion at her Firestone home but her husband, Mark, and her brother, Joseph Irwin, were killed in the explosion.
"The origin of the explosion and subsequent fire that destroyed the Martinez home and damaged the neighboring home, resulting in the deaths of Mark Martinez and Joey Irwin, and a severe injury to Erin Martinez, was unrefined, non-odorized gas that entered the home through the French drain and sump pit, through a cut, abandoned line attached to an oil and gas well in the vicinity," said Poszywak.
Shortly after the news conference, Gov. John Hickenlooper called for a statewide review of existing oil and gas operations. That includes inspecting and pressure text existing oil and gas flowlines within 1,000 feet of occupied buildings to ensure integrity; ensure that any lines that are not in use are properly marked and capped; ensure all abandoned lines are cut below the surface and sealed.
Hickenlooper says that inspections of the flowlines within 1,000 feet of occupied buildings must occur within 30 days and be tested for integrity in 60 days. Lines that have been either abandoned or are not in use must be inspected within 30 days and abandoned under current rules within 60 days.
"Whatever caused the explosion and fire was isolated to the immediate site," said Poszywak.
He didn't know why the gas lines were cut.
"The gas followed the flow path of the line where it was cut and into the soil of the foundation surrounding the Martinez home where it slowly saturated the soil and migrated into the adjacent French drain and into the drain line of the sump pit of the home," said Poszywak.
"This 'fugitive gas' which was odorless, even to a trained tradesman such as Joey Irwin, eventually reached the right mixture of gas and air, found an ignition source just prior to 4:46 p.m. on April 17 while Mark and Joey were in the basement and erupted into a sudden and violent explosion and rapidly-expanding fuel-fed fire and destroyed the home and taking the lives of Joey Irwin and Mark Martinez."
Shortly after the news conference, Gov. John Hickenlooper called for a statewide review of existing oil and gas operations. That includes inspecting and pressure text existing oil and gas flowlines within 1,000 feet of occupied buildings to ensure integrity; ensure that any lines that are not in use are properly marked and capped; ensure all abandoned lines are cut below the surface and sealed.
Hickenlooper says that inspections of the flowlines within 1,000 feet of occupied buildings must occur within 30 days and be tested for integrity in 60 days. Lines that have been either abandoned or are not in use must be inspected within 30 days and abandoned under current rules within 60 days.
"Whatever caused the explosion and fire was isolated to the immediate site," said Poszywak.
He didn't know why the gas lines were cut.
