Allentown pipeline explosion animated make natural gas

A fiery natural gas explosion in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is the latest in a series of fatal accidents that have raised concerns about a form of energy had a good safety record until recently. By Matt Rourke, AP

A firefighter inspected following a fatal explosion in a residential area in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.

By Matt Rourke, AP

A firefighter inspected following a fatal explosion in a residential area in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.

Five bodies were found Thursday after a gas explosion at 10: 45 am Wednesday working-class residential area shaken.The fire burned along the road until the pipeline has been switched off, says Allentown fire chief Robert Scherer.Transport of natural gas by pipeline the safest way to move the energy ", says Carl Weimer, executive Director of the pipeline safety trust, an advocacy group in Bellingham, Washington" yet every nine and ten days on average someone dead or ends in the Hospital of these pipelines. More security needs to be done, ", he says."A 4-month-old baby and a few in the 70's included the death toll in Allentown. Nearly 50 buildings were damaged and over 500 people evacuated.The explosion comes in the wake of the worst natural gas pipeline disaster in a decade - an explosion and fire in San Bruno, California, September 9, the eight people killed and 38 houses destroyed.Early results joined the San Bruno accident with problems in the pipeline, built in the 1950s and 1 for the cause of the accident San Bruno electrical problems in the wider pipeline System.Das National Transportation Safety Board will hold hearings in March.Contains the string of natural gas explosions since the accident San Bruno: • Fairport, Ohio Nine buildings were destroyed and others damaged in this small town on Lake Erie near Cleveland, if a natural gas line Jan. 24 malfunction and houses with gas filled. Inhabitants were evacuated and survived. • Philadelphia. A gas line explosion killed an employee of the city-owned gas company, six injured and cars and buildings flattened Jan. 18. • Wayne, Michigan two furniture shop employees were killed and the owner seriously injured 29 in suburban Detroit Dec if apparently the gas pipeline explodes.Also, a fire Texas killed a worker Tuesday at a gas plant in Mont Belvieu, close to Houston. The cause is not known.San Bruno City Manager Connie Jackson says officials and citizens must be aware of the extraordinary potential danger in the infrastructures of modern life.Cities need to get involved where pipelines are located and maintained as you. "If you could predict, it could prevent", says Sie.Es is to be the best prepared just in case, says Sie.Die nation has more than 2 million miles of natural gas lines on streets, neighborhoods, and farms. The interstate highway system is compared to 47,000 Kilometer.Das gas system has two basic parts: • high pressure transmission lines, the large quantities of natural gas in a straight line. • low moving pressure distribution distributed lines like cobwebs in cities and town, connecting homes and businesses.San Bruno explosion was by a 32-inch transmission line owned by Pacific gas and energy causes. The cause of the explosion Allentown was not yet determined, but the local utility says the area of a low-pressure distribution line was connected.Natural gas pipeline accidents caused a death or injury, which require hospitalization: source: Department of TransportationIt's unclear whether the recent accidents are part of a major trend by bad weather or a pipeline system causes aging.Despite the accident says "Extremely safe gas", executive Vice President of the American public Gas Association, a group of State Gasunternehmen.Die largest cause of accidents is Dave Schryver excavations, gas lines, disturbing, although ice problems cause corrosion and faulted devices is according to the Transport Department, regulates the pipelines.The pipeline safety Act 2002, passed after terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was the first attempt in the years to improve pipeline safety. Added to these inspections on the spot for the first time, says Weimer.Normen have been improved in 2006, Congress could tighten rules this year again, when the law for the renewal, Weimer says.The number of pipeline accidents involving death or hospitalization varied between 30 and 60 a year in the past decade with officials enforce fewer problems in the last Jahren.Staatliche safety, get federal financial aid if you follow recommended federal standards.Visit our FAQ's for more information about reprints and permissions. Corrections and clarifications to register, contact standards editor Brent Jones. For consideration of publication in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and State for review. To view our corrections, go to Corrections.usatoday.com.We the conversation guidelines updated. Changes include a brief overview of moderation process and an explanation on using the "report abuse"-button. Read more.

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At least 4 dead in Pennsylvania explosion

House explodes in Pennsylvania New: explosion killed five people, including a 4 months old and one of 79 years OldOne else is not proven and eight houses were LostCause of the explosion is still unknown, fire chief Robert ScheirerAbout says 500 people were set up in shelters after the BlastDid see the explosion or their consequences? Share your story and pictures with CNN iReport.

Allentown, Pennsylvania (CNN)-death toll in a suspected natural gas explosion, the eight houses in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Thursday evening rose to five destroyed, authorities said. The victims include a 4-month-old and a 79-year-old.

Authorities sifted through pile of rubble in a snow-covered road.

Allentown fire chief Robert Scherer confirmed four deaths. Scott grim confirms the fifth Lehigh County Office or the examining magistrate.

"It was a difficult fire because of the weather, fight," Scherer said, noting that the icy conditions were worse than firefighters, the water in a blaze that burned the houses and play pumped for gas pipelines from the road.

"I think we do with a recovery at this point," he told CNN earlier. "From the fire;" the gas line was shut down was. "We have all the shelter victims returned in their housing-the houses which can be habitable at this time."

Backhoes and other heavy equipment could help authorities, how the rubble sought seen be.

The explosion was shortly before 11 am Wednesday, reported authorities said.

Some homes have been flattened and burn after the big bang and six more consumed were the resulting fire according to the fire chief. He said a further 16 houses were affected by the explosion.

Rent one of the houses were Antonio Arroyo, 43 and his wife Jill, who burned. He lived seven houses down from where the explosion took place.

He told CNN he was on the computer, if the explosion occurred but rejected had, to talk about his wife.

"If the explosion, the flat screen on my desk me on the back slaps,", he said. Arroyo said he turned to find that everything behind the desk had been and the home's Windows was "postponed."

He said the explosion sound as a Bombe--not a shot or fireworks and he thought, war had been placed "on our doorstep." ... This was shot that a huge vibration through the quarter. "I started looking at the sky, look on the ground to see what I was looking for."

He said his wife told him, a car was on fire outside, and he ran to see if he could help.

I was shocked, he said." "The whole House was missing." The whole House was missing at the end of the block. "There was nothing the flames, but."

Police told you to leave their homes, said everything behind it, and he left. He recalled "from roof to roof to roof to go watching the fire." A voluntary said: 'It looks good.' "

"We have again start all over", he said. "It's just stuff." "We should to jump again."

The cause of the explosion was not immediately known but Scherer said utility crews arrived on the scene and a gas line that the flames refuelling was turned off.

"We nothing at this time still have confirmed," said Scherer, when asked about the cause of the explosion. "We believe it is a natural gas explosion." If the leak inside the House or outside on the street was, we don't know. "Everyone must be investigated."

In winter he said, "are gas lines such as water lines." As the ground freezes and taut, you know, it tends to shift. And sometimes it cracks, the pipes... the cause of leaks gas and water of leaks.

"When gas is leaking in the street, you know, is to follow the path of least resistance and it could seep into the soil in your home and stuff," Scherer said. "And this explosion could create ignition source inside the House."

The explosion occurred close the gross towers senior-Center, which was evacuated. Some 500 people were immediately after the explosion in temporary shelters. Returned to the Middle Thursday were Scherer said.

"It is very cold." With my firefighters, the first frostbite last night I was very worried. We try tents and stuff, keep warmly decorated. We were relieved you as quickly as we could. (It has) very difficult with the amount of snow we had in the city here lately. ... "And of course, once we start throwing water all ice."

A natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, California, eight people killed in September. The explosion and resulting fire injured 52 people and 37 houses destroyed. The explosion sent 100 feet in the air a 28-foot section of the pipeline and blew doors a grocery story of a quarter mile away.

Last month a gas pipeline explosion in Philadelphia killed a utilities workers and five others injured. CNN's Alta spells and Allan Chernoff contributed to this report.

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