Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for pipeline explosions to occur after a resident has reported the smell of gas to the utility company and the company fails to properly respond. That is precisely what happened at a house in Austin, Texas earlier this year in January. In late November, the resident called the gas company, complaining of a gas smell. The company came to investigate, but said it could not make any repairs without a permit from the city. Six weeks later, the man’s house exploded, killing him.
Had the gas company properly handled his complaint of a gas leak, his death could have been prevented. His family is now suing Texas Gas Service as a result. Read the rest of the story here.