Response Operations Continue At Williams Gas Pipeline Natural Gas Storage Facility
Emergency response operations at the Williams Gas Pipeline underground natural gas storage facility near Seminary, Mississippi continue at this hour with officials at Williams continuing the venting process of natural gas from the affected underground cavern at the facility. Covington County EMA Director Greg Sanford and Covington County Sheriff Ben Ford, along with emergency response officials from Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Jones County Emergency Management Agency, Forrest County Emergency Management Agency, Jones County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Mississippi Department of Health (MDH), Seminary Fire Department, Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH), Willow Grove Water Association, Southwest Jones Water Association, National Weather Service and American Red Cross are in place at the Command Post. The following information is being relayed by Incident Command:
• As a safety precaution, we are still proceeding with the depressurization of the storage cavern as planned. The depressurization began about 3 p.m. CDT on Dec. 28.
• We’re still venting gas to the atmosphere. This is a controlled process.
• The natural gas vented into the atmosphere will dissipate into the air and does not pose a health hazard to neighbors.
• Since 3 p.m. yesterday we’ve vented about 400 million cubic feet. The flow rate is currently around 225 million cubic feet per day.
• We do not have an estimated timeline of how long the venting will take before the pressure in cavern 3 is zero.
• We are working closely with the families who have been temporarily displaced to meet their needs. We realize this is a tremendous inconvenience and appreciate their patience and understanding. National
Weather Service and American Red Cross are on the scene.
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Emergency response officials continue to work closely with Williams Gas Pipeline personnel with whom they are in constant contact with at the Command Post on Salt Dome Road. Covington County EMA Director Greg Sanford notes, “We are very appreciative of the patience and understanding of those evacuated from their homes during this incident and want them and the community to know that all of our actions are taken out of an abundance of caution.” He adds, “We are working closely with Sheriff Ben Ford and his staff to ensure site security and integrity of closed roadways as well as assisting family members with temporary entry into their homes to retrieve medication, clothing and personal items in addition to attending to any animals that are at their homes and/or property. At this time we do not have a firm idea of when evacuees may be allowed to return to their homes and are coordinating our emergency incident action plan along with Williams personnel to ensure everyone’s safety which is our top priority.”
Representatives from the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH) have established six air monitoring stations along with handheld mobile monitors and have conducted over 2,500 air samples in the past twelve hours with no adverse readings detected. In addition, representatives from MDEQ and MDH, in coordination with Willow Grove Water Association and Southwest Jones Water Association, are conducting testing of ground water, well water and soil to ensure no contamination from the natural gas leak. A robust response to the incident, which was initiated following reports of the gas leak, will continue until the situation is successfully resolved.
her to escape without injury. Ms. Lou Ulmer who lives on Mares Nest Lane off of Shady Oak Road in the Soso Community was awakened by the smoke detector to find heavy smoke and fire in one end of her home and raced outside before being overcome by smoke. Volunteer fire units from Soso, Calhoun, Pleasant Ridge and Hebron along with Jones County Fire Coordinator Dan McKenna were dispatched to the call at 12:49 a.m. and responded with multiple fire apparatus. Initial 911 reports indicated that the resident was trapped in the burning home; however, Jones County Sheriff’s Department deputies J.D. Carter and Chris Livingston, who were on patrol in the area, arrived and discovered Ms. Ulmer had escaped.
The American Red Cross was also dispatched to the scene to assist Ms. Ulmer with emergency needs as she literally escaped with just the clothes on her back. Ms. Ulmer was being comforted by family and friends at the scene as was expected to spend the night with relatives before returning later in the morning to try to salvage personal belongings. Volunteer fire units were on the scene until nearly 4:00 a.m. conducting fire suppression, overhaul and salvage operations.
