Update/Texas Official: "I've never seen anything quite like" the Texas gas explosion that killed three today"

"It appears there was a gas leak in the alley, which is where the distribution line is," said state Railroad Commissioner Charles Matthews. The railroad commission, which regulates utility companies in Texas, is investigating the accident along with TXU Electric and Gas. Matthews said he did not know what ignited the blast. "I've been to a lot of explosions and accidents," Matthews said. "I've never seen anything quite like this. The house was leveled. There was enormous force."

Link to Story:

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGI654OHG3C.html

Link to original thread: House explodes in Dallas http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000114/ts/explosion_house_1.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 14, 2000

Answers

Come on. It's Texas. Stuff like this happens all the time.

-- deep in the heart (boom@boom.boom), January 14, 2000.

All Texans have a right to bear TNT. It's Constitutional, Yuk, Yuk, Yuk!

-- Think It (Through@Pollies.Duh), January 14, 2000.

It's only dangerous when we wear our blasting caps.
They are much more effective than til foil.

-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), January 14, 2000.

[adjusting hat] Ummm, "Tin foil"

-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), January 14, 2000.

It's been ten years since I did residential service work. IIRC line pressure from the meter is 3"wc, to the meter is 2psi.

Whatever. Line overpressure would have caused wide ranging problems.

-- Tom Beckner (tbeckner@xout.erols.com), January 15, 2000.