Jackson, Mississippi – Federal authorities are pointing fingers at a natural gas distribution company for allegedly being aware of a gas leak before two explosions occurred in Jackson. The explosions resulted in the tragic death of an elderly woman and raised concerns about the safety practices of the company involved.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, Atmos Energy, the gas provider for both locations where the explosions occurred, had identified and categorized leaks in their distribution system near the two homes. The first explosion, which took place on January 24 at 185 Bristol Boulevard, resulted in the death of 82-year-old Clara Barbour. Only three days later, a second explosion occurred at 1146 Shalimar Drive, less than a mile from the initial incident. Although the second explosion caused a fire that spread to a neighboring home, no fatalities or injuries were reported.
Federal officials reported that Atmos Energy discovered a leak near the Bristol Boulevard location on November 11, 2023, classifying it as a non-hazardous grade-2 leak, and identified another leak near the second location on December 1, 2023, classifying it as a non-hazardous grade-3 leak. Despite the classification, neither leak was repaired before the explosions occurred.
In response to these incidents, Congressman Bennie Thompson expressed concern and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the natural gas explosions. He emphasized the need to take these incidents seriously and to ensure that necessary measures are in place to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future.
The safety of natural gas distribution and the potential risks it poses is under scrutiny as federal authorities continue to investigate the incidents and Atmos Energy’s leak detection methods. The community is looking for answers and assurance that steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.