Massive explosion erupts in California

Morgan Newton | April 23, 2017

SAN BERNARDINO, Ca. - An explosion occurred on Duffy Street and Highland Ave. at 8:11
a.m. in a California neighborhood. A fractured Calnev pipeline, that is six feet under the
neighborhood, is the cause of the explosion.

The pipeline is composed of two lines, carrying gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel from California to
Nellis Air Force base in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

A woman ran out of her house, she left behind her sister and her cousin and a 6-month-old baby
inside, said San Bernardino Councilwoman Valerie Pope-Ludlam. By the time the woman
turned back around the house went up in flames.

The neighborhood in which the explosion happened is the same one where a freight train
derailed a couple weeks ago. Officials told The Sun that the explosion and pipeline break could
have been because of the train derailment.

Two weeks ago, a 69-car freightway toppled over causing mass destruction and smoke
inhalation, displacing many of the residents of the area. The extent of the damage the derailment
caused was not known at the time.

We looked outside. The grass was burning green grass burning. Everything was burning, even
the concrete, said Calnev pipeline General Manager Jed Robinson.

At 10 a.m. two deaths were confirmed and more than 30 residents were rushed to an evacuation
center. Others have been taken to the San Bernardino Medical Center and are being treated for
second and third degree burns. The current conditions of these victims remain unknown.

We were assured by the pipeline people it was safe (after the railroad accident), said San
Bernardino City Attorney Jim Penman. The experts who examined it said there was no danger.

An oil spill has not been reported in this area for over three decades. In 1980, a pipeline ruptured
in the Las Vegas Valley, spilling about 100,000 US gallons of fuel and causing several road
closures and home evacuations.

The exact details of the oil spill are yet to be determined. Residents are the area are working
diligently with news sources to update information surrounding the explosion.

There are no further updates at this time.

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