Gas Line Explosions Spark Fire Near Northeast Texas Facility

Two explosions near a gas processing plant in eastern Texas near the town of Carthage sparked a grass fire and burned a trailer and several parked vehicles on Feb. 11, officials said.

No injuries were reported, said Sam Moore, a Carthage firefighter.

Preliminary reports indicate a gas line near the DCP Midstream East Texas facility ruptured, officials said. The first explosion happened around 10:15 a.m. and a second occurred when emergency personnel were on the scene, according to the Panola County Sheriff’s Office.

Several companies have gas lines feeding into the processing facility. DCP Midstream said identifying the cause could take several days.

Employees were evacuated after the first explosion and the plant was shut down, a company statement said. A highway nearby, which was scorched by the explosions, also was closed.

Homes within 11/2 miles of the plant were evacuated and it wasn’t clear when residents could return, Shreveport, La., television station KSLA reported.

The fire was under control and diminishing, DCP Midstream said in a statement.

Carthage is near the Louisiana border, about 175 miles east of Dallas.

The plant is operated by DCP Midstream LLC, which co-owns it with another company, DCP Midstream Partners LP.