The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report on the deadly pipeline explosion that tragically killed a father and his teenage daughter in Coolidge, Arizona, over the summer.
While Board investigators are a long way from determining a cause, they did note that pressure in the pipeline was below the maximum allowable operating pressure just before the blast.
Pipeline Was Operated by El Paso Natural Gas
The August 15th explosion erupted around 5:30 a.m. along a 30-inch natural gas pipeline operated by Kinder Morgan subsidiary El Paso Natural Gas. The blast was seen and heard for miles and ignited a fire that would burn for more than two hours.
The force of the explosion also ejected a 46-section of pipeline into the air.
3rd Victim Flown to Maricopa Medical Center with Severe Burns
The flames quickly spread to a farmhouse about 120 feet from the site of the blast. The remains of two missing people were eventually found inside the home and later identified as a man in his 60s and his 14-year-old daughter.
The girl’s mother managed to escape the burning home but had to be airlifted to Maricopa Medical Center with burns on 50% of her body.
The farmhouse was destroyed.
NTSB Awaiting Results of Pipeline Testing and Analysis
According to the NTSB, the pipeline that ruptured was installed in 1985 to transport crude oil. The line was converted to natural gas service about 20 years ago and acquired by Kinder Morgan in 2012.
The federal investigation is ongoing. The NTSB has submitted fractured and intact sections of the pipeline for lab analysis and testing. However, identifying the probable cause of the blast will likely take a year or more, even once those results are available.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Arizona Corporate Commission are coordinating with the NTSB.
Call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here for a Free Consult with Our Undefeated Pipeline Explosion Lawyers
In addition to being undefeated, our Experienced Pipeline Explosion Lawyers have won Billions for explosion victims across the United States and consistently recover Record-Breaking Verdicts and Settlements on their behalf.
If you or a loved one were injured, burned, or tragically killed in a pipeline explosion or fire, our attorneys can help. Please call 1-888-603-3636 or click here to fill out our confidential contact form.
All consultations are free, and because we only represent clients for a contingency fee, you’ll pay nothing unless we win your case.