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Pipeline Explosion in Ector County UPDATE 10:11 AM
Pipeline Explosion in Ector County UPDATE 10:11 AM 12/5/12
December 5, 2012
UPDATE 10:11 AM
GOLDSMITH, TX – Around 8:00 am today electricity came back on for the residents living in Goldsmith near the DCP Plant explosion.
Fire officials say that the natural gas services should be back on at approximately noon today. They say DCP Plant has to install a new valve in order to restore services.
At 12:00 midnight the last fire crews, West Odessa Volunteer Fire Department, left the scene.
West Odessa Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Jimmy Ellis says they left the building burning and DCP Plant officials monitored the remaining burn out.
Fire officials say they do not know the cause of the pipeline rupture.
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UPDATE 10:40PM
According to officials the explosion happened when a 16 inch pipeline ruptured around 6pm. Odessa fire officials say the pipeline is owned by West Texas Gas.
Fire officials say they shut down the natural gas flow in the plant and let the remaining gas burn out slowly. This latest for a few hours until the fire came to a stop around 7:30pm.
A welding shed and several utility poles were destroyed in the fire. Encore is working to get power restored in the area.
No injuries have been reported.
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UPDATE 7:03 PM
State Troopers have blocked off W Gulf Street.
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UPDATE 6:50 PM
CBS 7 has confirmed that the explosion began near the front of the DCP gas plant just outside of Goldsmith.
We are told by an employee on the inside that the explosion started along the fenceline and did not happen inside the plant itself.
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UPDATE 6:35 PM
Dispatch has confirmed that crews are working a pipeline explosion.
We are also receiving reports that the fire is at the DCP Plant at 301 N Phillips Plant Road. The plant is a natural gas processing facility.
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Emergency crews are responding to a pipeline explosion in Ector County.
The location of the plant is about one mile west of Goldsmith, on Highway 158.
There are reports of a large fire.
There are no reports of injuries at this time.
Stay with CBS 7 News and CBS7.com for the latest on this developing story.