Consumers Energy: Explosive Sound Was Gas Release Into Air

ROYAL OAK (WWJ) - What sounded like an explosion Saturday night in Royal Oak turned out to be the sound of gas rapidly being released into the air.

Consumers Energy's Debra Dodd says every now and then their system has to relieve abnormal pressure at the city gate, where gas flows through and is regulated before it goes to people's homes.

"Sometimes we do get some liquids in our system, along with the natural gas as it comes out of storage, (the) underground storage field, sometimes it brings up some liquids with it and that can cause the relief valve to stick or not operate properly," says Dodd.

According to Dodd, neither the residue nor the gas that escaped into the air is harmful to residents.

Dodd says they are looking into complaints from residents about oily residue on their cars.