Some sources have reported the explosion was a result of a gas leak, however no official cause has been stated as of yet. Dallas Fort Worth has a history of gas explosions after heavy rainfall due to the clay soil absorbing the water, expanding, then contracting, causing explosions.
10 people have been confirmed injured as of publication, as per the Forth Worth fire department.
Dallas Fort Worth has a history of gas explosions after heavy rainfall due to the clay soil absorbing the water, expanding, then contracting, causing explosions.
???
Love to live in my exploding city because the ground makes things explode.
Cynically, I'd bet there's a solution to this. However, it'd eat into gas company profits and Texas, being a deregulation "paradise", doesn't require it in the code, so it doesn't get done. So occasionally the gas mains spontaneously explode...
See also Texas power instability in the winter.
There sure is a solution. Stop using gas, at least at the commercial and residential level. Rely on the grid instead. It just doesn't make any sense to pipe around a dangerous substance like methane. Plus it ties us to one fuel source, as opposed to the grid allowing anything that can produce electricity.
Similar to an earthquake, the movement of the clay can cause gas pipes to break and leak.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICxmHKsRWfI
from the livestream video looks like the entire first two floor plus some of the sidewalk/basement all blew out, that's a significant pressure wave to do that
what does the article say? i'd like to know more about this, but there's a paywall
edit, thanks to gpt-4 i was able to get a summary:
A large explosion occurred in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday, January 8, 2024, around 9:30 a.m. local time.
The blast was caused by a natural gas leak at a construction site near the Fort Worth Convention Center.
The explosion injured at least 15 people, including four construction workers and 11 bystanders. Two of the injured are in critical condition.
The explosion also damaged several buildings and vehicles in the vicinity, and caused a fire that was quickly contained by firefighters. The authorities are investigating the cause of the gas leak and the extent of the damage. They have asked the public to avoid the area until further notice.