National Grid’s Gas Supplier Linked to Gas Explosion on Monday in Ohio Causing “200 Foot Fireball”

National Grid’s Gas Supplier Linked to Gas Explosion on Monday in Ohio Causing “200 Foot Fireball”

At a press conference on Tuesday on the Newport natural gas emergency, Tim Horan, head of National Grid RI said the issue that forced the shut off of natural gas to more than 7,000 homes and businesses was caused, in part, by supply issues by National Grid’s supplier, saying the interruption in service was due to a transmission supply issue from its natural gas supplier – Algonquin Gas Transmission Co., which is owned by Enbridge Inc.

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Embridge is tied to another gas crisis that took place on Monday -- in the midwest.

On Monday, an explosion occurred in Summerville, Ohio that media described as causing a 200-foot fireball, damaged houses and caused at least one injury.

A press release issued from Enbridge Pipeline Monday night, regarding the natural gas pipeline fire in Noble County, Ohio stated:

"At 10:40 a.m. this morning, a gas line ruptured and sent flames into the air on Smithberger Road outside of Summerfield, Ohio. The Noble County Sheriff’s Office responded to several reports trying to narrow down the exact location as fire departments responded to the area. Caldwell VFD, Summerfield VFD, and Lewisville VFD worked with companies in the area to identify the impacted line. It was a 30” natural gas line that had been in that location for several years currently owned by Enbridge. They spent several hours fighting secondary fires including three homes and were able to clear the scene by approximately 5:00 pm. United Ambulance treated and transported one (1) injured resident from the scene to a local hospital where that resident received treatment for minor burns. Currently, Smithberger Road is closed due to road damage and the need to secure the area for safety and continued assessment in the daylight tomorrow. Please avoid that area as you will not be admitted onto Smithberger Road.

The Noble County Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (NCEMAHS) has made contact with the families and assured they did have a housing arrangement for this evening. The American Red Cross is on standby to provide services to the families as needed. Regulators and State level emergency response teams will be at the site tomorrow to begin their work to identify the cause, monitor repairs and evaluate environmental impacts. Those agencies include the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and the State Fire Marshall’s Office. Additional questions regarding the operation and status of the pipeline can be directed to Enbridge’s media center at 1-888-992-0997. Response information can be directed to NCEMAHS at 730-732-7387."

Enbridge describes itself as "a North American leader in energy delivery by connecting people to the energy they need—safely and responsibly. Enbridge employs about 15,400 people, primarily across the U.S. and Canada, and has earned a place on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list for eight straight years.”

Enbridge Response

"In Ohio, the incident is under investigation. There is no link between the two [issues]," said Michael Barnes, a spokesperson for Enbridge in Ohio.