Jan 30, 2017: The pipeline ruptured around 4 pm Monday afternoon on Highway 121, about a mile away south of Highway 160 in Blue Ridge.
Billy Brummett lives in Desert, just down the road. He tells us when he first heard the sirens, he thought it was another wreck at the intersection.
“A neighbor came by showed me a picture she’d taken of the geyser of the oil shooting," Brummett said.
We're told a contractor for TxDOT accidentally cut a 30-inch high pressure oil line, spraying crude oil all over the highway.
“Construction’s going on and that’s a deep ditch and things they’re cutting over there for the new highway so it’s not a big surprise to me," Brummett said.
The line was shut off within minutes of being cut, but continued to spill oil from what was left inside. The area was immediately placed under quarantine while crews began the cleanup process.
“The roadway’s shut down be patient with us and they’re going to get it opened up as soon as they can,” Blue Ridge Fire Captain Bonnie Bowers said.
Traffic was diverted on highway 160 due to the closure.
Multiple fire departments were at the scene. No injuries were reported.
It's unclear how much crude oil was spilled or if it poses an environmental risk.
News12 put in calls to Enterprise Products, the company that operates the pipeline, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality but have yet to hear back from either.
Source
Billy Brummett lives in Desert, just down the road. He tells us when he first heard the sirens, he thought it was another wreck at the intersection.
“A neighbor came by showed me a picture she’d taken of the geyser of the oil shooting," Brummett said.
We're told a contractor for TxDOT accidentally cut a 30-inch high pressure oil line, spraying crude oil all over the highway.
“Construction’s going on and that’s a deep ditch and things they’re cutting over there for the new highway so it’s not a big surprise to me," Brummett said.
The line was shut off within minutes of being cut, but continued to spill oil from what was left inside. The area was immediately placed under quarantine while crews began the cleanup process.
“The roadway’s shut down be patient with us and they’re going to get it opened up as soon as they can,” Blue Ridge Fire Captain Bonnie Bowers said.
Traffic was diverted on highway 160 due to the closure.
Multiple fire departments were at the scene. No injuries were reported.
It's unclear how much crude oil was spilled or if it poses an environmental risk.
News12 put in calls to Enterprise Products, the company that operates the pipeline, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality but have yet to hear back from either.
Source
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Responses to "Oil Pipeline Shut After Spill Near Blue Ridge in Texas"