Newly disclosed emails have raised questions about the actions taken by Atmos Energy in the hours before a deadly natural gas explosion destroyed a home in the northwest section of Dallas, Texas, killing a 12-year-old girl.
Atmos Energy Was Investigating Durango Drive Incidents Just Prior to Fatal Explosion
On February 22nd, Atmos Energy’s director of Regulatory and Compliance, Marlo Sutton, notified the Texas Railroad Commission that the company was investigating two natural gas-related fires in the same neighborhood where an explosion would tragically take the life of young Linda Rogers just 12 hours later.
Both of those fires occurred at homes on Durango Drive, just behind Espanola Drive, where Linda Rogers lived with her family. The owners of the homes suffered burns in both incidents.
“Atmos Energy has been monitoring a situation in a residential area of Dallas near Love Field,” Sutton wrote in an email to the Texas Railroad Commission dated. “As an enhanced safety measure, Atmos crews are continuing to monitor the surrounding area for potential leaks and will make repairs as needed.”
Atmos Failed to Shut-Down Pipelines, Evacuate Residents Despite Natural Gas Problems
Sutton’s email also made clear that Atmos had not conducted any evacuations or shut-off pipelines in response to the two fires.
A mere four hours before the tragedy on Espanola drive, Atmos crews would return to Durango Drive to investigate a gas leak at yet another home.
“That could’ve been my kid flown across the room instead of their kid,” the home’s owner told the Dallas Morning News. “I’m the one who had the gas leak in the back yard.”
The explosion that killed Linda Rogers occurred at approximately 6:30 a.m. on February 23rd.
Responders to the scene found the little girl unconscious in her front yard. She would later die at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Four members of her family were injured in the blast. All were released from the hospital that same day.
Hundreds of nearby homes, as well as an elementary school, were finally evacuated.
Natural Gas Shut Off to Hundreds of Homes
Within two days of the Espanola Drive explosion, Atmos crews had uncovered 28 natural gas leaks, prompting further evacuations in the neighborhood.
On March 1st, Atmos announced it was shutting down the entire natural gas system in the area, indicating that more than 2,800 homes could be without service for up to three weeks.
Atmos crews are now working around the clock to replace old steel pipeline with state-of-the-art PVC pipes.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Texas Railroad Commission continue to investigate the February 23rd explosion, as well as the other natural gas incidents that have plagued the northwest Dallas neighborhood in recent weeks.
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