Two Survive N.M. Pipeline Blast

The only survivors of a New Mexico natural gas pipeline explosion, a man and his daughter-in-law, were in critical condition Monday at a Lubbock, Texas, hospital.

The explosion on the Pecos River just before dawn Saturday swept flames down the river's banks and through tents where two families had been camping. Five children were among the 10 killed.

Officials described the ruptured pipeline as a massive flame-thrower that showered burning fuel on the victims. The explosion generated heat so intense that sand melted into glass and concrete turned to powder, a federal investigator said.

National Transportation Safety Board Investigator John Hammerschmidt said it likely will take several months to determine what caused the rupture in the 30-inch-diameter pipe.

"We'll be looking for any areas of human error that might have occurred or even organizational error," he said.

NTSB investigators found at least three sections of the pipe that had been blown from the ground. The explosion, at a point about 6 feet underground, carved out a crater 86 feet long, 46 feet wide and 20 feet deep.

"There is no indication it was third-party damage or foul play," said John Somerhalder, president of the pipeline group for El Paso Energy Co. "This was a very major tragedy."

The victims were members of two extended families from Carlsbad, Artesia and Loving, all in southeastern New Mexico, who had been camping along the river in an unmarked but popular camping site for fishermen, police said.

A New Mexico State Police spokesman said most of the victims were up and some were fishing when the explosion occurred. But they were helpless to escape the inferno.

"We had people under the bridge who were fishing," state police Lt. Larry Rogers said Sunday. "They were consumed by a huge ball of fire."

Rogers said the campers had lanterns so they could fish through the night and also had a small campfire going.

State police Capt. John Balderston said one survivor recalled being awakened by a man yelling fire.

"She stands up and discovers she's on fire and jumps in the river," Balderston said, "then returns to get her children and can't, because it's so intense."

Down by the water, investigators found sleeping bags and tents melted, he said.

"The only reason we could tell it was a tent was the geometric design of the poles," Balderston said.

Six people died at the scene and three others died Saturday night at University Medical Center in Lubbock. A 5-year-old girl died late Saturday while en route by air ambulance to a Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas.

Those who died at the Lubbock hospital were Roy Lee Heady, 20, his wife, Amy, 18, and Glenda Sumler, 47. Kirsten Sumler, 5, was pronounced dead on arrival at Shriners Hospital in Galveston. She was Glenda Sumler's granddaughter.

The Headys' three girls, 22-month-old Kelsey and 6-mont-old twins Timber and Tamber, died in the explosion. Also killed at the campsite were Terry Smith, 23, and his son, Dustin, 3, and father-in-law Don Sumler.

Bobby Smith, 43, and his daughter-in-law, Amanda Smith, 25, survived. Amanda Smith was Terry Smith's wife and the mother of Kirsten Sumler.

The explosion occurred in an area where the pipeline crosses the river. It is isolated and unpopulated, with the surrounding terrain dotted with scrub and creosote. Amid the desolate surroundings Sunday sat the broken and blackened pipeline.

The pipeline supplies gas to power plants in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, according to one report. Officials said crews were working Sunday to get the line back in service because it is a major supply line.

The line was installed in 1950. It was last checked Aug. 2, company spokeswoman Norma Dunn said.

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