Midland, Texas Pipeline Explosion Injures Seven

A Midland, Texas Pipeline Explosion has injured seven people in a series of three natural gas explosions in the Permian Basin, the biggest oilfield in America.

Included in the injured are a Midland Fire Department firefighter and a Greenwood Fire Department firefighter.

No cause for the explosions has been identified. As many as three pipelines may have been involved.

Five critically injured workers were airlifted to the burn unit of University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. Midland is 117 miles south of Lubbock, and 320 miles west of Dallas/Fort Worth.

In an emailed statement, Midland public information officer Elana Ladd reported that “Fire Department personnel suppressed the fire, however approximately one hour later a second and third small explosion followed.”

It is not yet clear how many people were injured by the first explosion, and how many were injured by the second explosion. The initial estimate of injured people totaled five. That number was later updated to seven.

All of the pipelines in the area have been shut in, and firefighters are letting the remaining gas burn off. 

Midland, Texas Pipeline Explosion Injuries

In the Midland, Texas Pipeline Explosion, CBS7 reports that seven people are in the hospital with critical injuries, four with burns.

We do not know what kind of injuries the other three people have. Unfortunately, in an explosion, many kinds of injuries are possible.

Injuries caused by the explosion itself are called Primary injuries. Explosions produce a blast wave (called a “blast over-pressurization wave”). This blast can damage organs that have fluid, like the brain and the spinal cord.

Injuries caused by fragments flying through the air are called Secondary injuries. These can be as serious as primary injuries, because the flying debris is basically shrapnel.

If the blast wave throws a person into another object, the injuries sustained are called Tertiary injuries. They are primarily Impact injuries, or blunt-force trauma.

Burns, of course, are caused by the fire produced in an explosion, and they are classified as Quaternary injuries. Other injuries in this classification include severe blood loss and inhaling toxic gases, which can be present in fires in chemical facilities.

Regardless of how it is classified, it’s clear that all four types of injury can be equally dangerous. Our best wishes go out to all of the people involved, as well as their families.

Given that all of the injuries were described as “critical,” it is likely that healing and recovery will take a long time, will involve some serious pain, and will be very expensive. The compassionate attorneys at Pritzker Hageman law firm have years of experience working to help patients and their families put their lives back together. They have won million-dollar awards for survivors of these tragedies, and will work to defend your legal rights.

If you wonder if you have a valid legal case, give them a call at 1-888-377-8900, and talk to them for free, and without obligation. Or just fill out the online contact card.

Sources

“TRC identifies operators of pipelines where seven people were injured.” CBS7, August 2, 2018.

Geddes, Kirsten, Veloso, Mariana. “7 injured in Midland pipeline explosion on FM 13279, East HWY 158.” NewsWest9.com, August 1, 2018.

“Natural gas pipeline explosion in Texas critically injures five.” Reuters, August 1, 2018.