HOUSTON, March 11 - A high pressure gas line exploded on Thursday afternoon south of state Highway 66 just west of Chandler, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.
There were large flames and smoke coming from the scene, about 2 miles west and half a mile south of Chandler, some 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, according to news reaching here.
Images presented by TV news helicopters in the Oklahoma City area showed towering flames shooting into the sky in a rural area.
The explosion happened around 3:30 p.m. local time, local TV reported, adding that there are no homes or businesses within a mile of the explosion.
So far no injuries have been reported.
By 4:15 p.m., local media reported that the gas line was turned off, and the fireball went away.
Joey Wakefield, manager of the Lincoln County Emergency covering the city of Chandler and surrounding area, said it is unclear exactly what caused the line explosion.
The gas line belongs to ONEOK, an intrastate natural gas pipeline business based in Oklahoma, which was originally founded in 1906 and now is one of the nation's premier energy companies involved in the natural gas and natural gas liquids businesses.
Sources with ONEOK believe that the cause of the explosion might be involved with one of the transmission lines that delivers natural gas to Chandler, Wellston and Davenport, which could impact gas service in those areas.
ONEOK has three natural gas distribution companies serving more than two million customers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
There were large flames and smoke coming from the scene, about 2 miles west and half a mile south of Chandler, some 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, according to news reaching here.
Images presented by TV news helicopters in the Oklahoma City area showed towering flames shooting into the sky in a rural area.
The explosion happened around 3:30 p.m. local time, local TV reported, adding that there are no homes or businesses within a mile of the explosion.
So far no injuries have been reported.
By 4:15 p.m., local media reported that the gas line was turned off, and the fireball went away.
Joey Wakefield, manager of the Lincoln County Emergency covering the city of Chandler and surrounding area, said it is unclear exactly what caused the line explosion.
The gas line belongs to ONEOK, an intrastate natural gas pipeline business based in Oklahoma, which was originally founded in 1906 and now is one of the nation's premier energy companies involved in the natural gas and natural gas liquids businesses.
Sources with ONEOK believe that the cause of the explosion might be involved with one of the transmission lines that delivers natural gas to Chandler, Wellston and Davenport, which could impact gas service in those areas.
ONEOK has three natural gas distribution companies serving more than two million customers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
