Well, most importantly is that there have been no reports of death or injury. Now, lets make sure everyone is accounted for and figure out how the hell this happened. Then see if there is any way we can prevent this from ever happening again!!!!!

Thanks for the reality smake Blake. I have just been anticipate the next "explosion".

Agreed...I digress..

He said that the explosion occurred very close to Cedar Ridge Nursing Home in Sissonville

That nursing home is a 120 bed facility. Hopefuly the blast wasn't too close.

That's in Sissonville, the home of the "Buckwild Redneck" reality show. Any connection there?

That's a natural gas line not gasoline pipeline. The two have nothing to do with each other.

Ted

That's a natural gas line not gasoline pipeline. The two have nothing to do with each other

You are probably correct, however, whether natural gas or gasoline, have you ever known any of the "entrepreneurs" to miss an opportunity to raise prices for their product, when an explosion like that occurs? Troy got the idea - basically "woohee boys, we get to raise prices immediately..." After all, it is winter in WV and I am sure the sellers can claim "shortage of product, ergo, raise price!

Damn Chris! Case closed. You nailed it.

This is EXACTLY why the XL pipeline shouldn't be allowed. They want to put the XL pipeline through the Ogallala Aquifer which is responsible for a whopping 20% of agriculture in the USA. You want people to starve when the pipeline leaks? Give me a break. There shouldn't be pipelines PERIOD.

Twenty percent of the irrigated farmland in the United States depends upon that Aquifier.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/ogallala-aquifer-6531527

This is a Natural gas Line!
And, this accident will NOT affect the prices of ANY fuels whatsoever...in spite of your so-called conspiracy rumors initiated.
Also, there is absolutely NO connection with that idiotic so-called 'realtity show'!
Just hope and pray that there are no casualties from this incident...

I know the area...

@Newswinner, how exactly do you propose to transport oil & gas without pipelines? I suggest that if everyone wants to get rid of pipelines as well as everything else that goes along with oil & gas, to start by selling your car(s), never fly again, and dont use anything that utilizes plastic in any form. I am not saying that pipelines should just be constructed without oversight through critical areas, however your statement of there should not be any pipelines is not practical in the modern world. The Keystone pipeline can be constructed with environmental safeguards in place as are all new pipelines. All the accidents and random explosions that are occuring are from older pipelines that did not have the regulations that are in place today.

@dcdrum15, you're absolutely correct! However, don't expect Newswhiner to get it.

---AND is that what we will also see with the fricken Fracking?--No this has nothing to do with politics--- just a major scientist here--- Wait until they will use their spent chemical for road-ice melting in the winter, cough drops anyone?

SHUT DOWN the company. While we are at it, NATIONALIZE ALL PIPELINE COMPANIES. Nationalize ALL utilities that cannot be reasonably converted to Co-ops. These companies, like ALL companies, are putting profit in front of safety and then raping us all in the name of greed. A cutting edge technology company needs to be nimble and ready to take advantage of new ideas but a stodgy utility is best managed by the public sector or by a cooperative of users to REDUCE COSTS and provide adequate maintenance for public safety.

NO NEED TO GET RID OF PIPELINES, JUST MAINTAIN THEM PROPERLY!

These private companies are skimping on maintenance to the point their pipelines are ALL just BOMBS waiting to go off. This is happening more and more often as the post-WWII lines are rotting out.

NATIONALIZE THESE COMPANIES if it is unreasonable to make them customer cooperatives. OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT!

Holy cow.. crazy looking photos

The Keystone Pipeline was not stopped because it was a Pipeline, it was stopped because the route it was going to take was shoved down the throats of the American people. Even the Governor did not want it in his state..

Everyone was blah blah blah about how Obama did not care for "jobs" (the few long term that this project would create) but he was really concerned with the long term ecological impact the proposed route would take.

I'm sure that when the dust settles and a new route that is responsible and safe is laid out the project will continue. But keep in mind the purpose of the pipeline once installed is to move oil ACROSS the USA from Canada to foreign countries and it will not benefit our energy needs at all.

XX.

Newswinner is right. The XL Pipeline should not be built. Not all pipelines, JUST THAT ONE. It is transporting the heavy Canadian crude. That crude is HEAVIER THAN WATER. It SINKS in water. It does not float (sorry for the repetition but you Faux News heads seem to need it). There is NO KNOWN TECHNOLOGY to recover a spill in a watercourse or, god forbid, in the aquifer. It WILL SPILL. The crude it tremendously corrosive and the safety record of the pipeline companies is TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, BAD, NOT GOOD.

Anybody that is FOR that pipeline is obviously devoid of FACTS or LOGIC.

This is just a test run for something bigger ! wait and see..

Chuck is absolutely correct. This was a NATURAL gas line explosion. It has nothing to do with petroleum-based gas. I drive through this area regularly. Anyone could have been caught up in that explosion by I-77. It's a main thoroughfare for the state. So far, I haven't heard any reports other than some minor injuries. Let's hope that all there are. I called some friends and family in the area, and they said it was under control at this time. However, they don't know when the road will re-open.

Last year, their was a similar explosion in Athens County, Ohio. I don't know if it was the infrastructure of an old line and it's cleaner or what caused it, but it had similar implications. Accidents happen. Fortunately, no one was killed in Athens. Let's hope that no one has suffered dire injuries in this accident, either.

The reality-based show is anything BUT the reality of the area. It's amazing what people will sell of themselves for the bucks that producers pay. Most of the folks in the area are very embarrassed by the whole affair. It is NOT the true reality of the area. However, if you throw enough money at something, you can make just about anything that people want to fantasize about.

As for the pipeline from Canada, please make an eastwardly turn, and bring it to Ohio. We have plenty of empty factory space, and I'm sure we could build a refinery. Dayton would love the industry and jobs. It wouldn't be a bit further than Texas, and a dependable workforce is available.

Lastly, some of you folks might want to read the article. It has most of the information that you seem to missing in your comments. Just sayin'. (I might have skipped over a thing or two, but it's only because I'm from here. I "assume" a lot that I think people should know--and they don't.)

do you know the difference between a gas pipe line and a transfer line ? the line that blew is a natural gas line and built different than a crude oil transfer line !!

Sorry for my poor typing, my computer locked up and I couldn't make a good edit. "Their" should be "there." ~~and a few other errors, but I think you get the idea.

These lines are not that old I would think. Not like the sewers and water lines. One would think they would last longer seeing they are mostly plastic lines, right? The infrastructure needs to be maintained/monitored or this will become an every day occurence.

The infrastructure needs to be maintained/monitored or this will become an every day occurrence.

It already is, Mom. Google 'water main break', 'gas line break', 'oil pipeline break', 'sewer line break' - and you simply won't believe how many hits you get. Our infrastructure is crumbling, and we can expect many more such events as we continue to cut taxes and delay much-needed repairs to systems that are (in some cases) nearly 100 years old.

This is no way to run a superpower. Anyone who's been to Germany recently (or any other northern European country, for that matter) is rightfully appalled at the state of our country.

And I haven't even mentioned the power grid. Or the 'pothole tax'.

Mom-1160381 - Plastic, I sure hope not in a high pressure transmission line. Just pray that your Nat Gas Utility never does use plastic for distribution to your home or business. Fight it all of the way if you value your kith and kin. I have yet to see one pressurized plastic line not fail yet. I am a bit biased as I am a Quality Consultant to the Industry, so I say go with HSLA Steel for all pipelines. I am not sure when this line was built, but I would say within 20 years. Look at the safety records of various transmission companies and see whose record is best, and then you would see who uses Totally Independent & Knowledgeable 3rd Party Inspection Agencies at the pipe rolling mills. To the best of my knowledge, Columbia is not one that uses Competent Inspectors

Cute, just another excuse to raise the prices, yep it goes down .10 then this happens so it goes up .50 nice way to make money.

@ Sam627556 Post 1.25

Yep and then we bitch because the government doesn't raise more money to fix our infrastructure! For once I’d like to see a CEO take less money in the way of Bonuses so the companies can invest it into a better and safer business! I’m not talking about a few hundred dollars, these CEO’s collect $$millions every year for figuring out ways to make up pay more. You wouldn’t buy a broken down old car if you had the money to buy a new one. Why are you?

The article didn't say but I believe this was a natural gas line and not a gasoline line.

BLEVE is an acronym for "Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion". It what happens when a liquefied natural gas escapes containment, boils to vapor, mixes with air and finds an ignition source.

thanks

Curious how it happened just after the kerfuffle between the senator and Buckwild. Same town. Maybe the senator was right.

Yes Pandora and maybe sunspots are related to the growth of broccoli in Pakistan. Grow up and stop being hateful. And yes, our Senator is correct. The show should be canceled before a single episode airs. Unless of course every producer of the show agrees to entice their kids to do stupid things, tape them, edit them heavily to make them look more ridiculous and then air the tape for the world to see.

The show should be canceled before a single episode airs.

Ya, I feel that way about the 700 Club too.

God arsenic, me too. There's dumb a$$ crap on TV across the entire political and religious spectrums.

Joemike: "the growth of broccoli in Pakistan"? I think western broccoli isn't grown that much in the Indus River Valley. It has a Mediterranean origin. Maybe they grow rapini, kai-lan,etc. and cauliflower for sure. But the most important kharif (monsoon) crops are rice, corn, sorghum, sugarcane, millet, mung bean, peanut, piglon pea, etc.. And Rabi has wheat, barley, mustard, sesame, rice, cotton, jute, etc..

As far as sunspots are concerned, the Jevons Hypothesis in the 1870's postulated an effect on crops and thus on the economy. More current theories involve an effect on global warming. This could affect broccoli harvests but would not be specific for broccoli. And it would have to exhibit 11 year cycles barring a Maunder Minimum. For specificity we'd have to blame it all on the Zeeman Effect and a varient chlorophyll molecule in the broccoli. A long shot but not impossible. Maybe they could replace "Buckwild" with "Technowild" (wild science).

Pandora: Some people just miss sarcasm and irony. But in the meantime what on earth does Jevons economic theory have to do with sunspots??

Joemike404

British economist William Stanley Jevons suggested ("Commercial Crises and Sun-Spots", Nature, 1878) there is a relationship between sunspots and business cycle crises. The logic was that sunspots affect the earth's weather which in turn influences crops and therefore the economy. Data gathered later don't seem to support this theory. Got to have a sense of humor though, joemike.

I am not old enough for Social Security, and please don't call me infrastructure.

and that's what you get when you're infrastructure is old enough to be eligible for social security....

And you keep adding more and more people to it, giving no thought to the stress being brought to bear on gas lines, sewer lines, treatment plants, bridges, dams, overpasses....

just keep bringing them in, never upgrading or expanding or reinforcing the infrastructure, never trying to preserve or protect the limited natural resources of the country our lives and future are tied to.

99% of us cannot just hop a plane and fly off to the nearest available place where fresh water and food are available when everything here is gone or polluted.

Oh, but we need to spend our money on blowing up other countries and replacing their infrastructure!

yay politics!

and that's what you get when you're infrastructure is old enough to be eligible for social security....

DingleB

I am not old enough for Social Security, and please don't call me infrastructure.

Surely, you jest.

Gee, don't you want top blame this on Bush right away too? It isn't the GOP's fault any more than its the Dem's fault. If we would quit putting career politicians back into office and instead get new, hopefully responsible blood in these offices, them maybe we "might" see some real change come about. Yes, the infrastructure is old as is the highway system, rail system, etc. Unfortunately, our fat cats in DC and state goverments are too busy taking care of pet projects and funding ridiculous things that don't help anybody.

Infrastructure? I didn't know the government was in the gas pipeline business....oh, wait, that's because they're not.

A dragon?

It's a volcano. Controlled by Sauron.

Well he's not getting the ring back. We likes it too much.

I see this is a flaming hot news story this afternoon.

Watch out y'all, traffic avenger fla. is on FIRE!

Looks like they moved the end of the Earth up a couple weeks!!!! Moonshine, yea that's it!! White Lighting!! Get it while it's hot!!

IStyro

A gas line is "suspected?" What else could it be? Demons from Hell rising up to conquer the earth?

I thought that was odd as well considering that later in the article it was noted that a gas company acknowledged that they were the cause.

Buckwild!

Hey Jules: you are mostly good, but the depth figures and wall thickness are not solid - this explosion was around Lanham station, and out there I have seen plenty of pipe 2-3' deep. And class locations just give percent of SMYS, not specifically wall thickness. For a 16" or so, you would be good, but if it was down around 6", would be way over specified.

In my view, there have been enough of these explosions (I'm in Northern California, so am most familiar with the PG&E explosion in San Bruno, but I have read about the others) that would indicate someone isn't doing what they're supposed to be doing. Either they ignore the results of inspections, they don't repair things they know are bad, the regulators are too cozy with the industry, or people are just lazy.

In the San Bruno case, subsequent investigation disclosed that PG&E doesn't have maps for many of its pipelines, and the older the pipeline, the less chance of finding a map of it. I think older pipelines are probably liklier than newer ones to explode, but what do I know? I'm only a ratepayer, who will get stuck with whatever bill PG&E will slap on users, while first making sure they give huge bonuses to senior executives, and golden parachutes to the ones they kick out as "responsible."

There's gotta be a better way to do business. And yes, if there weren't any regulations, the situation would be a lot worse than it already is. Government is supposed to protect the citizens, and that doesn't mean just with a huge military establishment.

Jules, WychDoctor George has it correct. Most 24" mainline transmission lines today are 0.281" with some 0.375. I have seen 4-5/8" and 6-5/8" lines as thin as 0.188". It depends on the SMYS, Alloy as in HSLA, and location.

WychDoctor George

Hey Jules: you are mostly good, but the depth figures and wall thickness are not solid - this explosion was around Lanham station, and out there I have seen plenty of pipe 2-3' deep.

Aren't the compressor stations pushing out way higher than 1100 psi also?

Yes back in the early day's of interstate gas there was a learning curve. In some cases they sort of over used the pipe bending machines and bent pipes where a cleaning pig couldn't negotiate the bends, too sharp, They threw scrap pipe within a foot or two of the pipe and the smart pigs pick the junk up. At first the xrayed every other joint on some lines, no good. Today every joint is xrayed. If a pipe welder screws up and makes an arc burn or other mistake thay are gone, no exceptions to this rule. Every welder has to be re-certified for every job, again no exceptions. In areas of severe geological stresses we have encased the pipe with reinforced concrete.

In spite of all the precausions stuff goes wrong!

Hey Jules, you guys got pipe benders? Back in my day, we had two BIG trees about 15 feet apart, a fire between them, put the pipe over the fire and then pull with a D6 until you had the right angle. We've been trying to get rid of those wrinkle bends ever since....

WychDoctor George, George I thought only I was that old.

I'm pushing it just a little - started in 1969....but seen a lot in 40 years!

If you have a metal pipe burst, you almost certainly will have a spark somewhere - metal of pipe hitting against rocks, even static sparks - it's more of the exception to have a high pressure pipe burst and NOT have ignition.

prob some old dude was puffing on a cig at the nursing home and BAM!

Look for a video on you tube showing a bulldozer pushing dirt at night. You will be amazed at the sparking going on, and it doesen't only spark at night stupid. In a house all you need is a thermostate or some other device.

For an explosion would the gas have to build to level before the big boom

Only for the "Buckwild" show and Senator Manchin says that is not the real West Virginia!

Fracking has nothing to do with pipelines. If you can't make an educated comment, then don't.

This is newsvine, there's never any educated comments, you know that!! Yesterday everybody was Mars Rover Expert. I did work for NASA, BS it gets so deep on here at times, LOL!!!!

rubberducky76

Fracking has nothing to do with pipelines. If you can't make an educated comment, then don't.

Fracking has plenty to do with pipelines. Hence, the generally termed "midstream" affiliates. The increased production due to fracking certainly has to be handled in some manner. Pipelines and compressor stations are the answer.

Great question Gilboagirl...I can't believe this is not being discussed more in this thread.

A simple Google search has confirmed that FRACKING IS TAKING PLACE IN THE AREA! There is a very good chance that this incident is the result of a crumbling and antiquated infrastructure in close proximity to Fracking sites. When you start altering the ground, the ground that contains our utilities and drinking water, with reckless practices that mimic the physical forces of the planet without a full comprehension of the effects beyond the not-so-almightly $$$ spewing forth from the ground, ruptured pipelines is a very obvious result. We are entering an era when we will all witness the incredibly shortsightedness of humans...this unfortunately is only the beginning.

As for you, rubberducky76...thank you for unknowingly proving my point. Take your shortsightedness outside, open your eyes and look around...this is the first step in your education, good luck.

rubberducky76

Fracking has nothing to do with pipelines. If you can't make an educated comment, then don't.

Fracking has plenty to do with pipelines. Hence the generally named "midstream affiliates". Increased gas production requires increased transmission capabilities.

If you have a metal pipe burst, you almost certainly will have a spark somewhere

High pressure or high volume while flowing or escaping creates its own static electricity, so much so that a release of this type always ignites almost immediately.

Standup, Speakout

Fracking has absolutely NOTHING to do with pipelines!! It has to do with completing only certain types of wells. Not all gas wells are fracked. Not only that but this is SALES GAS (meaning gas used by customers), this gas has been sent along the distribution line by a process plant. As you type, your IQ drops.

Ken, makes no difference - lots of people have heard that fracking is terrible, so anything from a nuclear plant meltdown to athletes foot is probably caused by fracking. If these people would do a little research, learn that it is done in the active formation which in Marcellus is about a mile underground, just MAYBE they could get a clue - they yell about injecting a mile underground/away from somebody's well, but have no problem with a septic tank and leach bned 500 FEET from the same well. Oh well, you don't need experience and training if you have a big mouth.....

Wychdoctor Goerge

You are absolutely correct, most I have read believe fracking is an ongoing procedure about pumping chemicals down hole to push gas up. They have no idea that most frac jobs last less than 10 minutes and everything that was pumped down the hole is flowed back up for removal immediately afterwards (albeit some sand).

Never said fracking was terrible. In fact I work in the industry. My point is that increased gas production via fracking requires additional transmission capabilites. As such, as I said, fracking has plenty to do with pipelines.

They have no idea that most frac jobs last less than 10 minutes

That's about as incorrect as possibly can be stated when you consider the whole process.

Process??? I'm talking about Fracking, Ive been on at least a thousand frac jobs. Then the pumpers leave location the fracking is OVER. More drilling does cause more pipelines, MORE DEMAND does... BTW - thia was an older line, nothing to do with MORE...

Your right Charlie.

The big lines have pumping stations every so many miles, the pressure regulation is usually done there. The city gas company's who buy the gas have to reduce the working pressure for city pipe specs. Years ago 4 PSI was a common pressure for towns and city's, but that was mostlu for manufactored gas. When we started using natural gas and pipeing materials got better the pressures increased. For example in my neaghborhood they gecided to install new streets and sidewalks. they gave the utility company's a deal they couldn't refuse. Upgrade your stuff or make all repairs by tunneling for the next ten years. So, National Grid decided to install a new natural gas main that used a 60 PSI working pressure. At thier expense they had to move all gas meters outside of the house. City ordinance! They install all new 3/4" black iron pipe in my 3 family along with a meter manifold AND pressure regulator on the outside of the house. The pressure on my side of the regulator is 2 PSI. The street line is that heavy yellow plastic pipe you see em use all over the place these day's.

Thier is a power plant right on the Mass/ RI line. Tennessee gas had the Mass market. Algonquin Gas had the RI market. They used Algonquin Gas. While we were running a 30" line thru Sutton MA, Tennessee Gas decided they wanted a shot at that plant. They ran a 16" line to it and I got a kick out of the fact the new line was 8' away from algonquins where they entered the plant. Now the plant could recieve bids for N-millions of cubic feet ect., from both gas company's.

GREAT info thanks i worked a station as an operator i had a few of these occur. the station i worked at fed gas to this Lanham station, was this the station nearby?

Jules from Webster

Your right Charlie.

The big lines have pumping stations every so many miles, the pressure regulation is usually done there. The city gas company's who buy the gas have to reduce the working pressure for city pipe specs. Years ago 4 PSI was a common pressure for towns and city's, but that was mostlu for manufactored gas.

The new transmission lines GREATLY exceed 4 psi.

I know, let's print another 75 trillion useless dollars and fix it all...

No joemike, let's spend those useless dollars on weapons systems the military doesn't want or need while the infrastructure in this country goes to Hell.

That too, Mike...

NATIONALIZE GAS PIPELINE COMPANIES. All utilities should be owned by the customers. That we give AT LEAST 20% of our utility bills to "investors" when the company is regulated such that they can RAISE RATES to ASSURE A PROFIT is a crime. An INVESTMENT carries with it the chance of loss which these people do not have. NO PROFIT is justified when there is NO RISK.

OR

If ANYONE IS KILLED put all the company officers in PRISON FOR LIFE and SHUT DOWN THE COMPANY. They have reduced maintenance to the point of CRIMINALITY for their bonuses and short term gain.

Pick one of the two. If not, you are the worst kind of SOCIALIST! The kind that only SOCIALIZES RISK, not PROFIT!

If you want nationalized as pipelines-then move to a country that has them-try Iran,Venezuela, orCuba,

see how you like living in countries like hat.

hearfreedomring - I currently work at a state university. I took a 60% cut in pay to leave the private sector to take this job. I felt an obligation to give something back to the next generation as I approach the last years of my career. My wife (private sector) now earns 33% more than I do despite her having considerably less education. My health insurance sucks so badly that I have my wife carry our insurance and I will never live long enough to see my "pension".

Things are not always what they seem.

WOW! Loosen the tin foil hate Dude. You're getting delusional!

Tin foil hate or tin foil hat? Not a lot of difference, probably...

Used to be the American Worker had a high pay, a pension, and health care, etc., and you took a pay cut in the public sector for better benefits and a pension down the road. Ronald Reagan and Top O'Niell fixed that. Now when you bankrupt your corporation, you can raid the pension fund and bonus yourself with it.

What was the difference between then and now? Strong unions. Everthing you decry is because of "right-to-stuff-the-worker-laws" Bet you voted for every one of them.

Upper class grade school teachers? More like meth-induced fantasy.

hearfreedomring

we need to privatize teacher, fire, police and public workers

That's crazy thinking. Public utility workers I can see but "for profit" police and fire fighters? Please.

joemike404--are you an adjunct professor? My daughter is an adjunct professor--and I'm sure you know what that means!

Well then, lead the way. Stop using everything that the "so-called corporate citizens" are providing for you. You have the answers, so get your own energy, figure out your own way for transportation, do a lot of walking.

Lead the way, buddy! You've got it all figured out, so let us know how it's done, and we'll follow.

Obviosly you have no idea how expensive these ruptures are. Fines, lost revenue, and lawsuits cost multi-millions. You really have no idea how many safety procedures and equipment these companies have in place to monitor corrosion and pipe defects. In fact, you are obviosly talking out of your a$$. So do us a favor, go home, and turn off your heat, lights, stove, and forget about that barbecuer.

I have to follow laws or face consequences. I do not have the most expensive lobbyists working on my behalf to buy off legislators to grant me exclusive, heavily subsidized leases to drill next to Yellowstone, Canyonlands and other National parks and monuments. If I did, I'd have record profits, too. If my mistakes killed people, ruined coastlines and ocean ecosystems, I would expect to be fined and regulated out of business rather than making ever-increasing profits. I would be ecstatic that my replacements, solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and others can never compete with me because I'm so far up the a$$ of senators and congressmen.

Ducky: its called spellcheck, you should try it. So what if cost of business "accidents" cost millions, big oil/gas profits still set records every year. How about addressing the issue raised instead of speculating on who knows what?

HiDude: You and Duck above both propose the same hackneyed, threadbare reply of the witless over the years: go home and do without. You forgot to tell me to love it or leave it, SOS. Really?

If you really are ready to follow me, here we go: End giveaway lease rates to big gas/oil. Get them out of your investment portfolios, or that mason jar of cash you buried out by the still. Elect legislators that prioritize public good over corporate greed. Hire enough regulators to adequately enforce leasing and safety regulations. Issue massive fines for all safety violations and use some of the funds to compensate innocent victims. Hell yes, get out of your Halliburton truck and walk places, and when you have to drive, do it in an efficient vehicle. Use and advocate for government to use and subsidize renewable energy. Put a little effort into your razor-sharp retorts on this forum. And put out that cigarette when lighting pilot lights.

You and Duck

http://www.apolloduck.com/

Neither clever, creative or contributional. Why not go check your med levels now?

Infrastructure? I didn't know the government was in the gas pipeline business....oh, wait, that's because they're not.

I wasn't aware the definition of "infrastructure" limited it to things owned by the government. Generally the government manages deteriorating private sector infrastructure through regulation. Its actually easier for the government to demand the oil and gas industry fix their infrastructure than it is for the government to pay to fix its (our) infrastructure.

I said multi-billion dollar companies and the feds. Just who do you think paid for the highways? Hoover Dam? Sewer and water systems? Most of the electrical grid? Nuclear power plants? By the way the feds control 100% of that. You really don't think local and state governments footed that bill all alone do you?......apparently you don't know your history.

not acts of extremism, just stuff falls apart sometimes. I don't know if the safety record for gas pipelines in US is good or bad (some people posting seem to know stuff about this, what are their opinions?) but I'm sure there are a LOT of pipeline miles in the US and a completely failsafe system is impossible. some companies (Williams in upper midwest had a bad rep several years ago, a bad explosion in surburban mpls and a couple more blowups in subsequent years)

fiber optic cable was also damaged in the blast

Tea party members hate it when you mess with their fiber optic lines.