Two Grayson County men have been seriously injured after a natural gas line was punctured and caught fire.
Upon arriving, first responders discovered a fire in the rear end of a drilling truck, according to Grayson County Emergency Management. It was determined that the fire was coming from a pipe in a hole in the ground.
Firefighters immediately contained the blaze to the hole and pipe, protecting a nearby building and the front of the truck, which has diesel saddle tanks.
“A ground monitor was placed to protect the tanks from overheating,” emergency management stated. “A protective perimeter has been established for the immediate hazard zone and access is restricted to authorized personnel only.”
The workers hit the natural gas line while digging for water.
No residents in the sparsely populated area were evacuated.
One of the victims was airlifted from Caneyville Elementary School to a Louisville hospital while the other was transported to Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center, according to Sheriff Norman Chaffins.
An unconfirmed report indicates the man taken to Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center was later airlifted to a Louisville hospital.
While it’s likely an explosion occurred, officials have not yet made that determination.
The Leitchfield Fire Department cleared the scene Wednesday night at 6:35 while Caneyville firefighters cleared the area at 7:05. Two workers from the drilling company stayed at the scene overnight as the fire continued to burn.
The Caneyville Fire Department will return to the scene at 9:30 Thursday morning, according to Chief Brian Pharris, as officials determine the safest way to cap/repair the fractured gas line.
The names of two injured men have not yet been released.
The American Red Cross provided hydration and food to first responders.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
