March 7 (UPI) — At least six employees of CenterPoint Energy were hospitalized Friday following a natural gas explosion in Texas.
According to the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office, a crew from Comcast was working near Klein, an unincorporated area outside Houston, and nicked a natural gas line.
The Comcast workers called in a CenterPoint crew to inspect and turn off the gas line, and two lines exploded while they were investigating, sparking a fire.
Five people were transported to local hospitals via ambulance, and one was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.
Residents of the area were evacuated after Comcast workers discovered the damaged natural gas line.
A Comcast representative told local media that a contractor cut a small line that may have been incorrectly marked, and CenterPoint crews hit a larger line while repairing the small line.
One home was damaged and about 800 customers lost power due to damage to some electrical equipment.
CenterPoint crews will begin repairs to restore service to natural gas and electricity customers affected by the incident.
