Phillips 66 petroleum pipeline hit in Eureka - KMOV4
Phillips 66 petroleum pipeline hit in Eureka
EUREKA, Mo. (KMOV) - A Phillips 66 petroleum pipeline was hit in Eureka Thursday afternoon, leading to a gas leak in Lions Park.
New baseball fields are being built in the park and around 1:45 Thursday afternoon, a contractor hit the pipeline.
The Eureka Fire Protection District got a call for hazardous material in the park.
Assistant Fire Chief Scott Barthelmass said fire crews worked to determine what the hazard was and prevent it from getting into any water ways in the area.
The fire department says this incident is one they train for but it still poses it’s own set of potential dangers.
“At your initial arrival it’s an unknown,” Assistant Chief Barthelmass said. “We know its petroleum products but its unknown what’s in that pipe because they transfer multiple products through that pipe. You do have to worry about the potential for vapors and the potential for explosions. Those were the buggest concerns.”
Phillips 66 tells First Alert 4 it immediately shut down the pipeline and blocked off the impacted section of pipeline to control the release. The company also notified the appropriate regulatory and emergency response authorities. Phillips 66 said no injuries have been reported and air monitoring is underway to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. Phillips 66 personnel and its spill response contractors are onsite working to clean up the spill and repair the pipeline.
“We respond for the initial response,” Assistant Chief Barthelmass said. “We work very closely with the pipeline companies over the years to make sure we’re prepared and the community is prepared. They immediately call in their crews and contractors to begin the actual clean up of the site.”
Geggie Elementary School is right next to Lions Park.
Captain Michael Werges with the Eureka Police Department said police worked closely with the Rockwood School District to keep students safe.
“The initial decision was to shelter in place but then out of an abundance of caution, we made a decision to move the children to the south side of the building on the exterior,” Captain Werges said. “That was because of possible fume build up in the school. Diesel fuel has a strong unique smell and we just didn’t want anyone to get sick.”
The Rockwood School District tells First Alert 4 that the school already had a scheduled day off for Friday.
Captain Werges said the police department continued to monitor the area for safety, including blocking off part of Bald Hill Road so crews could get the clean-up equipment in and out easily. We’re told that road will re-open Friday night after 9 p.m.
Phillips 66 tells First Alert 4 the pipeline delivers fuel products from refineries in Texas and Oklahoma to markets in Missouri and Illinois, including storage facilities operating in Jefferson City and Cahokia Heights, Ill. The spill volume has not yet been determined.
The Department of Natural Resources is also at Lions Park.
We’re told clean-up will take several days.
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