Many of us never consider the fact that buried under the ground all around us are potential explosions waiting to happen. What am I talking about? The miles and miles of natural gas, oil, and propane pipelines that run through our neighborhoods. I have recently been retained to represent a family following a terrible explosion of a propane pipeline which runs from Texas to North Carolina. This case has opened my eyes to the number of pipelines which are buried in this country. As a result of the explosion in Mississippi, two people were tragically killed and several others injured. The area the rupture occurred looks like a bomb has been dropped. Structures were completely destroyed, timber and vegetation burned up, and cars melted to the ground. The pipeline which exploded was put in the ground in 1961. That’s over 45 years of wear and tear when it finally failed. Other times, pipelines can explode when another person comes along and physically hits the pipe with a backhoe and/or other machinery. So if I can give one piece of advice, call before you dig. If you see, smell, or hear a leak, leave the area immediately and call 911. Next time you’re in your backyard or driving through the neighborhood, stop and look to see how close you may be living to a ticking time bomb.