Connecticut Gas Blast

Earlier today, in Middletown, Connecticut, tragedy struck when an unfinished power plant exploded, killing at least 5 workers with more than a dozen workers injured. This explosion occurred at the Kleen Energy Systems, and the boom was felt and heard for miles. This power plant was being built to produce energy using primarily natural gases. At the time, there seem to be no workers who are unaccounted for, and the cause of the gas explosion is still unknown. The explosion tore apart the outside of the power plant, but the building, roof and the smokestacks are still in tact. In a statement made by the town's mayor, the power plant was supposedly 95% complete. Natural gases are responsible for about 1/5 of the nation's electricity. INvestigation of this explosion and its causes begin on Monday. Allegedly, workers at the plant were purging the gas lines, a method that has been under scrutiny since an explosion at a Slim Jim factory occurred last year. "The [Safety] Board voted last week to recommend that national and international code writers strengthen their guidelines to require outdoor venting of gas lines or an approved safety plan to do it indoors." This is such a tragic thing that has happened, and hopefully this will lead to some investigation into preventing other occurrences like this from ever happening again.

-Jane Hayashi-