Natural gas explosion rocks downtown Springfield

Boston Herald ^ | November 23, 2012 | Samantha Tatro

[ConservativeStatement]

A natural gas leak at a Springfield strip club late this afternoon has left two-and-a-half blocks of houses and stores in shambles, authorities said.

The “whole city block went up due to a gas explosion,” Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney said.

[Cvengr]

Unless its propane, it’s fairly difficult to create such an explosion. Natural gas, methane, is lighter than air. It needs the proper ration of gas to oxygen to explode.

If it were a large transmission line, when they rupture, they tend to sound like a freight train for about 30minutes as the pressure reduces. Generally the risk is from a high pressure rupture, and flame is a secondary risk.

Any high profile targets in the area,...like Hostess Union bosses?

[ROCKLOBSTER]

criminal activity or inept work by union pipeline contractors.

Same thing.

[Cvengr]

Since they had over an hour to work on it and the story didn’t even report the name of the gas utility company involved, there is ample evidence that this might not be a gas explosion.

[Halcontent]

I used to know of them before I moved to the West coast in the mid 80’s.
How bout Ciro’s restaurant or Felix Tranghezi (spelling?)

[Right Wing Assault]

obama speaks:

“Under my plan, since natural gas is so dangerous, I am immediately banning the production and distribution of all natural gas in the USA. Coal and oil are is also banned. Only electricity is allowed. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and a much safer end of the year, now that I have made it safer for you!”

[gotribe]

Did not look like a ng explosion imho

[Mister Da]

Fat pole dancer practicing on a gas line?

[TheRhinelander]

Absolutely agreed. That’s why I love propane!

[Myrddin]

Check out the map below. Pins indicate explosions believed to be from methane seeping from the ground. Save the link. New pin locations added as explosions are identified.

Click for map

[Vermont Lt]

Jane...you are showing your age.

[Vermont Lt]

First guess is that this thing had been leaking for week. One story states as the girls went up stairs the smell would get worse ( the gas smell...the natural gas smell....this stuff writes itself!)

My guess is that it filled the upper stories of the building.

Then boom.

[Vermont Lt]

Tranghese. Corps is long gone. The neighborhood has moved distinctly towards the Hispanic end of scale.

[Halcontent]

Back then it used to be blacks in the north end and Puerto Ricans in the south. That, of course, was before the flood of illegals from Mexico & S. America.
Felix was one of Sam Cafarelli’s “enforcers”.
The mob also had a restaurant on Rt.#75 outside of Bradley Field down in Windsor Locks. The “Skyline”

[Fester Chugabrew]

GPS Coordinates:

42° 6’24.00”N
72°35’20.85”W

Photo in Boston Herald taken from 50-100 feet northeast, with black on orange . . .

TR
RE

. . . being the truck rental/U-Haul place on the other side of street from club. FWIW.

[ladyjane]

No, LOL, those are names I heard the elders speak of. Years ago the mob ran much of the city of Springfield. I don’t think they do now. From what I hear it’s a war zone with the two big players being blacks and hispanics.

[PA Engineer]

criminal activity or inept work by union pipeline contractors.

Same thing.

My experience is different.

Third party damage is the primary cause, followed by corrosion secondary to third party damage. Then there is corrosion (inept departments in gas companies) and finally inept contractors.

Finally there are homeowners that do stupid things.

[Cvengr]

Well, ... at least they don’t have to worry about radon being trapped in the house anymore.....