A construction crew accidentally ruptured a natural gas transmission line in Fresno, California, sparking an explosion and fire that injured up to 15 people, four of them critically, officials said.
The pipeline, belonging to Pacific Gas and Electric Corp, was struck by a backhoe near the state’s Highway 99, resulting in a fireball that injured members of the construction team and a jail inmate crew nearby, Fresno fire department spokesman Peter Martinez said.
The accident forced closure of the highway in both directions, along with an adjacent railroad line, Mr Martinez said. Rail traffic was halted to check for possible damage to a railway bridge over a river.
One worker in a critical condition was flown to hospital by helicopter, and 14 others were taken to hospitals for evaluation and treatment of injuries after the pipeline was ruptured at about 2.30pm.
Hospital treatment
Six of the injured were taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, with two of them being admitted to the burn unit there, hospital spokeswoman Mary Lisa Russell said.
Ms Russell said that four of the victims were in a critical condition.
The utility had shut off the gas flow by 3.20pm, with the residual amount in the pipeline burning off just before 4pm, PG&E spokesman Donald Cutler said.
A county public works equipment operator struck the natural gas line, The Fresno Bee reported, citing Fresno County administrative officer John Navarrette.
The equipment operator, who was badly burned, was the patient airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center, the paper said, citing Mr Navarrette.
The accident occurred at a shooting range used by law enforcement, the Fresno County sheriff’s department told the newspaper.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) sent a team to Fresno to investigate the explosion, spokeswoman Terrie Prosper said.
“The CPUC will conduct a full investigation of the explosion,” Ms Prosper said.
A PG&E representative said the utility was also investigating.
Reuters