Explosion

Grace Porter
4/27/2016
Pipeline Explosion in San Bernardino
Today at 8am, the Calnev Pipeline, located between Duffy Street and Highland
Avenue, ruptured. The explosion resulted in several homes being set on fire, with flames
reaching over 100 feet into the air.
Several deaths have already been reported, and more are expected. Hospital
officials have also confirmed that at least seven people are being treated for severe burns.
Everything was burning, even the concrete, said Bill Stewart, an insurance
agent who was visiting a client when the explosion happened.
A woman ran out of her house, she left behind her sister and her cousin and a 6month-old baby inside, and she looked back and the house blew up behind her, said
Valerie Pope-Ludlam, a San Bernardino councilwoman.
Gregory Garcia, spokesperson for the mayor of San Bernardino, confirmed that
over 700 people have already been evacuated to a Red Cross center at the Jobs Corps
Center.
Two weeks ago, a 69-car freight train derailed in the same neighborhood. The
train crashed in multiple homes, killing two crewmembers on the train and two boys
within the homes.
Jim Penman, an attorney representing San Bernardino City, stated that officials
were assured by the pipeline people it was safe [after the railroad accident].
(more)

However, David Andries, a representative of the Calnev gas company, stated that
the cause of the explosion could have been the train, obviously, although this has not
been confirmed.
The Calnev Pipeline, owned by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, is a 550-mile
long line responsible for transporting refined oil products. The particular area where the
pipe burst was carrying oil from Colton to Nevada.
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