THAT’S RIGHT, MIKE AND KRISTEN, SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THIS INVESTIGATION EARLIER THIS WEEK, DEP INSPECTORS HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND RIGHT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKING INTO POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THIS DEVASTATING EXPLOSION. THIS COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO LOOKING FOR ANSWERS. YOU MAY NOT KNOW THESE PEOPLE AT RUSTIC RIDGE, BUT IT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT HAS AFFECTED A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS PLUM NEIGHBORHOOD. A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF THE RUSTIC RIDGE COMMUNITY WITH A PIZZA AND PRAYER VAN OUTSIDE OF THE PLUM CREEK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. THIS MEMORIAL NOW SET UP A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO PRAY NO MATTER THE DAY OR TIME WHEN THERE’S SOMETHING HAPPENS HERE IN PLUM TO SOMEONE OR SOME FAMILY, YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER PLUM GET TOGETHER AND DO THINGS FOR ONE ANOTHER TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IN A TIME OF NEED. MEANWHILE, THE HAS BEEN IN PLUM INSPECTORS USING HAND-HELD GAS DETECTORS TO TAKE DAILY READINGS. THE DEP SAYS, WHERE THEY MEASURE A SUFFICIENT VOLUME OF GAS, THEY’RE TAKING SAMPLES FOR LAB ANALYSIS. THEY’RE LOOKING FOR THE PRESENCE OF COMBUSTIBLE GAS LIKE METHANE IN SOIL AND STRUCTURES AS IT COULD COME FROM LANDFILLS, SEWER LINES, NATURAL GAS WELLS AND PIPELINES AND COAL MINES. OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO INVESTIGATED THE COAL SEAM IN PLUM BOROUGH AND FOUND NO NEARBY SHAFTS OR DRILL HOLES. ACCORDING TO THE DEP, THAT MEANS THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN ABANDONED MINE RELATED GAS ISSUE IS VERY LOW. NOW, AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES, RESIDENTS LIKE JOYCE SMITH SAY THEY’RE CONCERNED. WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK INTO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING IN PLUM. SO, SO FREQUENTLY IT’S IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO EVEN THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW, WHICH HOUSE IS GOING TO BE NEXT. SO IT’S IT’S VERY SCARY. AND THE DEP SAYS THEY EXPECT FAST RESULTS FROM THOSE FIRST SAMPLES THAT WERE COLLECTED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THE AGENCY ALSO ADDED THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR UNREGISTERED OIL AND GAS WELLS IN THIS
Pennsylvania DEP to investigate Plum house explosion
Gov. Josh Shapiro has directed the state Department of Environmental Protection to launch an investigation into the deadly Plum explosion.
Updated: 11:07 PM EDT Aug 18, 2023
Gov. Josh Shapiro is directing the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to launch an investigation into last weekend’s explosion that killed six people in Plum.“Governor Shapiro is extremely concerned by the house explosion in Plum that took the lives of six Pennsylvanians and resulted in catastrophic damage to multiple homes,” Will Simons, a spokesperson for Shapiro, said. “Governor Shapiro and the First Lady continue to pray for those who lost their loved ones and will continue to do everything in their power to support the Plum community.”According to the Shapiro administration, the DEP will look for sources of methane gas near the homes like landfills, sewer lines, gas well and coal mining activities. They’ll be able to identify the gas in soil or a structure with handheld gas detectors, and if enough gas is identified, they may sample it. The DEP says its inspectors are taking samples for lab analysis.In a release, the agency announced its staff had begun inspecting abandoned wells and will continue searching for sources of potential natural gas. “DEP has assessed the coal seam in the Plum Borough area and found no nearby shafts or drill/bore holes in the vicinity of the incident,” the agency wrote, saying the likelihood of a gas issue from a local abandoned mine was “very low.”“Our emergency response team, geologists, and members of the Oil and Gas District Operations will continue to have boots on the ground in the days ahead as we exhaust every relevant resource in our scope of jurisdiction,” DEP Secretary Rich Negrin said. Unconventional well sites near the neighborhood of Rustic Ridge will also be searched by the DEP, “and (investigate) natural gas gathering pipelines in the vicinity,” according to the Shapiro administration. It was not clear if tests have already been collected in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood where the explosion happened.The Shapiro administration said the governor has been in talks with the Public Utilities Commission and is encouraging a full and independent investigation into the explosion.According to our partners at the Trib, the PUC has sent pipeline safety engineers to the explosion site in Rustic Ridge.”Our crews continue to work and cooperate with the Allegheny County Fire Marshal and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, who are leading the investigation. We are bringing all of our resources to bear to help the Fire Marshal and the PUC in this investigation, including performing additional tests of our system,” a spokesperson for Peoples Gas said.“It is not lost on our agency the tremendous impact this event has had on the Plum community,” Negrin said.” Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and the precious lives lost through this tragic incident.”On Monday, the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office said the home that exploded was having “hot water tank issues,” but still no official cause has been released yet.
Gov. Josh Shapiro is directing the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to launch an investigation into last weekend’s explosion that killed six people in Plum.
“Governor Shapiro is extremely concerned by the house explosion in Plum that took the lives of six Pennsylvanians and resulted in catastrophic damage to multiple homes,” Will Simons, a spokesperson for Shapiro, said. “Governor Shapiro and the First Lady continue to pray for those who lost their loved ones and will continue to do everything in their power to support the Plum community.”
According to the Shapiro administration, the DEP will look for sources of methane gas near the homes like landfills, sewer lines, gas well and coal mining activities. They’ll be able to identify the gas in soil or a structure with handheld gas detectors, and if enough gas is identified, they may sample it. The DEP says its inspectors are taking samples for lab analysis.
In a release, the agency announced its staff had begun inspecting abandoned wells and will continue searching for sources of potential natural gas.
“DEP has assessed the coal seam in the Plum Borough area and found no nearby shafts or drill/bore holes in the vicinity of the incident,” the agency wrote, saying the likelihood of a gas issue from a local abandoned mine was “very low.”
“Our emergency response team, geologists, and members of the Oil and Gas District Operations will continue to have boots on the ground in the days ahead as we exhaust every relevant resource in our scope of jurisdiction,” DEP Secretary Rich Negrin said.
Unconventional well sites near the neighborhood of Rustic Ridge will also be searched by the DEP, “and (investigate) natural gas gathering pipelines in the vicinity,” according to the Shapiro administration.
It was not clear if tests have already been collected in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood where the explosion happened.
The Shapiro administration said the governor has been in talks with the Public Utilities Commission and is encouraging a full and independent investigation into the explosion.
According to our partners at the Trib, the PUC has sent pipeline safety engineers to the explosion site in Rustic Ridge.
“Our crews continue to work and cooperate with the Allegheny County Fire Marshal and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, who are leading the investigation. We are bringing all of our resources to bear to help the Fire Marshal and the PUC in this investigation, including performing additional tests of our system,” a spokesperson for Peoples Gas said.
“It is not lost on our agency the tremendous impact this event has had on the Plum community,” Negrin said.” Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and the precious lives lost through this tragic incident.”
On Monday, the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office said the home that exploded was having “hot water tank issues,” but still no official cause has been released yet.
Source
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