One
year later the images are still fresh in everyone’s minds of a natural gas
pipeline rupturing in Sissonville.
Today
marks the one year anniversary of the event that had a 20-inch natural gas
line rupturing on Archibald Hill, shooting flames 80 to 90 feet into the air
and sending debris flying.
The
explosion and the fires that followed destroyed four residences, damaged five
others and crumbled a football field long section of Interstate 77 near
Sissonville.
Once
the smoke settled that Tuesday afternoon, only five residents were transported
to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.
Due
to the explosion, Interstate 77 had to be shut down, but only for a couple days
as road crews worked around the clock to fix the road surface in record timing.
One
year later, a new stretch of pipeline replaces the ruptured pipe and pipeline
safety is front and center.
Since
the explosion, the West Virginia Public Service Commission has released several
pages of violations by Columbia Gas.
The National
Transportation Safety Board has been conducting an investigation into the
explosion. A preliminary report was released in July, but a final
conclusion is pending.
