By Cassandra Sweet
Twelve people were injured and six were being treated for
critical or serious injuries at a Fresno, Calif., hospital over the
weekend after a PG&E Corp. natural gas pipeline ruptured and
ignited a fire.
The underground high-pressure natural-gas transmission pipeline
ruptured Friday afternoon after a Fresno County employee was
operating heavy earth-moving equipment near it, according to a
county Sheriff's Department spokesman and PG&E.
In addition to the six people hospitalized with critical or
serious injuries in Fresno, six others were treated at two
different hospitals. At least four of them have been released,
officials said.
Workers at the site likely struck the pipeline while digging,
allowing gas to escape which ignited a fire, said Nick Stimmel, a
PG&E spokesman. Utility workers arrived at the scene and shut
off the flow of gas within 45 minutes of being notified of the
pipeline rupture, the utility said.
"Our primary concern is always the safety of the public and our
employees," Mr. Stimmel said, adding the utility is cooperating
with an investigation being conducted by California's Public
Utilities Commission.
Six people were being treated Sunday at Community Regional
Medical Center in Fresno, a hospital spokeswoman said. Four were in
critical condition, with burns, and were being treated in the
intensive care unit; two others were listed as being in serious
condition.
Four other people injured in Friday's blast were taken to nearby
St. Agnes Medical Center. All four were treated and released on
Friday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Two other people injured in the blaze were taken to Madera
Community Medical Center. A nurse reached at the hospital Sunday
declined to comment on their condition.
The accident occurred at a gun firing range owned and operated
by the Fresno County Sheriff's Foundation, a nonprofit organization
that offers community activities such as summer day camps for
school children, according to the foundation's website.
The county employee who was operating a front-end loader at the
site was among those injured in the blast, according to the
Sheriff's Department. The 11 other injured were inmates at the
Fresno County Jail, who were performing cleanup duties at the
firing range, according to the department.
PG&E is awaiting permission from state regulators to replace
the damaged section of pipeline and make other repairs, according
to the utility.
Write to Cassandra Sweet at cassandra.sweet@wsj.com
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