Thousands of Gas Leaks Found in Boston:
Two devastating explosions this month alone, one blast in Massachusetts that leveled a multi-story building and another deadly explosion in an Indiana neighborhood, remind us of the power and potential danger of natural gas.
Now a new study released by Boston University reveals there are more than 3,300 natural gas leaks across Boston, raising concerns that one of America’s oldest cities faces great challenges regarding its aging infrastructure and an increased risk of explosions.
Natural Gas explosions are really scary as they can completely obliterate the building they happen in. I read one report that fire inspectors immediately know when they come upon one because there is no sign of the house, except for the roof sitting down in the foundation. That means the walls are blown apart and the roof is blown straight up in the air, and falls down into the crater.
Of course gas leaks are easy to detect by smell because chemicals are added to the line to make the odorless gas detectable…but when you think of all the foreclosed houses that are sitting empty, who’s going to smell it?
A very close family friend was killed in the course of his duties by one of these. He worked for NW Natural for almost enough years to retire, and one day a basement filled up, and ignited. He was killed by a flying wall. Not debris- a whole wall. He was outside the house at the time. This is a very real danger. Dont play around with gas leaks!