River in Ohio “Burns” After Underwater Pipeline Breaks
The Muskingum River in Ohio seemed to be burning, with flames leaping 300 feet into the air and visible for 15 miles, but actually it was natural gas escaping from a broken 20-inch underwater pipeline carrying gas from Texas to New York.
I answered the Duncan Falls Volunteer Fire Department fire phone at my house last March 10 at 4:55 a.m. A woman reported a large fire near a farm in Blue Rock Township, an area served by contract by our department. An alarm was sounded.
Glow in the sky
En route, we heard that the Harrison Township-Philo Volunteer Fire Department (just across the river from us) was also responding, but to a reported barn fire on their side of the river. We immediately saw a glow in the sky. Then, after traveling about 3 miles below Duncan Falls toward Gaysport, we began to see the flame.
We knew the Texas Eastern Gas Transmission Company had several large high-pressure gas lines crossing the area of the farm. The company field representatives were notified that the fire could involve one of their lines. We also advised the Muskingum County Sheriffs Office, which handles some fire dispatches. The sheriffs office let us know that the Malta-McConnelsville (M and M) Fire Department had been called for assistance. They were 18 miles south and also served Blue Rock Township by contract.
We arrived on the scene with seven men, a 500-gpm front-mount pumper carrying 1000 gallons of water, and a utility truck used to carry personnel. Seeing the quantity and force of the flames coming right out of the water— and causing 3-foot waves in the river— we knew the pipeline was involved.
The fire was closer to the Philo side of the river, and we radioed the information to them. Their reported barn fire had been a mistake when someone misjudged the glow they had seen from this fire. Philo arrived with their 1000-gpm pumper carrying 1000 gallons of water, a 500-gpm pumper also carrying 1000 gallons, and a brush truck.
Protecting cottages
Grass had ignited on both sides of the river. We quickly contained the burning grass and trees on our side, but it was worse on the other side. A row of river cottages were very close to the fire, and a new home along the country road was showing the effects of the radiant heat.
The heat was so intense fire fighters and trucks were forced to keep a safe distance, and occasionally the trucks had to be hosed down. Two portable pumps were placed in the river as close to the fire as possible. They supplied hand lines and the 1000-gpm pumper. Water curtains were set up near the cottages, and the house was cooled by using lines off the Philo 500-gpm pumper.
In the meantime, the M and M department arrived with a 1500-gpm pumper, a heavy-duty rescue unit with a 750-gpm pump, a 1500-gallon tanker and two medic units. All but one medic unit assisted the Harrison Township units on that side of the river.
Also arriving on the scene were four units of the South Zanesville Volunteer Fire Department—a 1000-gpm pumper, a 1300-tanker, a minipumper and a 38-foot ladder and equipment truck.
Our department then also responded to the opposite side of the river with a 500-gpm pumper and equipment van after three additional men arrived on the Duncan Falls side with our brush truck to watch for grass fires. Roseville Fire Department also arrived to assist the Harrison Township department with two units.
Valves closed
At around 6:08 a.m., Texas Eastern Transmission officials closed valves on each side of the river, and the larger fire immediately disappeared.
Fire fighters raced forward to extinguish several cottage and grass fires. By 7:10 a.m. several mutual-aid companies were returning to their stations after the fires were out, and most hose was picked up.
Harrison Township units remained on the scene until early morning, mopping up. Approximately 100 fire fighters had participated in the incident.
Three gas lines cross the river at this location. The one that ruptured was a 20-inch line. Two larger lines are also at the crossing, a 24-inch and a 26-inch line. The 20-inch line had previously exploded in 1969 near Rural Dale, causing 12 acres of woodland and 15 acres of field to be destroyed by fire, as well as tearing a huge crater in the ground.
