SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Federal investigators found it natural gas from a leaking pipeline to a home explosion in southern Jordan which left a 15-year-old dead.

The incident occurred shortly after 3pm on November 8. In addition to the total destruction of the affected house, the explosion also damaged nearby homes.

The National Transportation and Safety Board released its preliminary report Wednesday morning. The publicly released information about the report can be found at the end of this article.

According to the NTSB, Enbridge Gas Utah — formally known as Questar Gas before it was acquired from Dominion Energy — discovered gas between the damaged pipeline and the affected homes after the explosion.

KUTV reached out to Enbridge to ask about the company’s response to the NTSB report, what the next steps in the process would be and what the company would do in the future to ensure the safety of its Mountain West customers.

Enbridge responded in a statement that offered condolences to the family of Logan Hansen, the Bingham High School student killed in the explosion, and noted that the company could not comment on the ongoing investigation, which answered two of the three questions raised. The company

The rest of the statement advocated the use of natural gas. It did not directly answer KUTV’s third question, which was not about the investigation but what the company is doing to ensure public safety.

Indirectly, it indicated that safety measures the company is focusing on include regular system surveys of what amounts to more than 20,000 miles of pipeline and noted that its employees “are equipped with technology that allows them to detect gas and respond quickly to any system problem,” noting that they respond to emergency calls within an hour.

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The statement can be found in its entirety at the end of this report.

The report says the gas company arrived at the scene about 40 minutes after the explosion and investigated into the night. They managed to isolate the gas leak about 21 hours after the explosion.

The leak was found 150 meters from the destroyed home.

The gas had spread much further.

“Enbridge detected subsurface gas between the main building and two nearby residences, including the accident residence and the home immediately to the north,” according to the report. “The subsurface gas extended from the main building to the backyard and front of each home, reaching approximately 250 feet from the leak. Enbridge also detected gas in the atmosphere of the neighboring home after the accident.”

The leak originated from a polyethylene natural gas line installed in 1976. The pipe was made of a resin called Aldyl A, a popular material installed across America to transport natural gas to homes and businesses. It’s penchant for brittleness and fracturing has led to several natural gas safety issues in subsequent years, including a Pennsylvania factory explosion 2023 which killed seven people.

None of the five residents of the home reported smelling gas before the explosion, according to the preliminary findings. The house did not have a natural gas alarm, which is not required but is a device the NTSB recommends every home should have.

The report says Enbridge had pressure tested and conducted leak investigations in addition to removing and repairing the failed gas line before NTSB investigators arrived on the scene. As the federal agency began its investigation, the gas company continued to test for gas in the area.

According to the report, the investigation is ongoing — and would continue to scrutinize the gas company and other Utah agencies, including the city itself.

“Future investigative activities will focus on Enbridge’s integrity management program, emergency response procedures, public awareness program and pipeline safety management system, as well as other causal factors,” according to the NTSB.

The NTSB said it is also investigating the Utah Department of Public Safety, the Utah Fire Marshal’s office, the Utah Department of Commerce, the state Division of Public Utilities and the city of South Jordan, among others.

NTSB Report on the South Jordan Home Explosion

Enbridge statement to KUTV

KUTV reporter Kristen McPeek contacted Enbridge after the NTSB report was released and asked: What is your response to these findings? What’s next in the process? What are you doing to ensure safety in the future?

South Jordan officials released a statement Wednesday night in response to concerns about other transmission lines in the city. Read the full statement below:

Two weeks ago our community faced a tragedy that took the life of a young resident and destroyed a family’s home and injured others. The pain, worry and fear this incident has caused is deeply felt by all of us.

The latest preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) today has provided additional information related to the cause of the incident, indicating that a natural gas leak from a transmission pipeline contributed to this devastating event. We know this news may raise questions and concerns about the safety of the transmission lines in our community and how it may relate to your own home and we want residents to feel safe.

Our security team is working closely with residents in the immediately affected area to share information and provide additional testing. For everyone, including those outside of this affected area, we want to highlight some steps you can take to feel safer in your home:

• Natural gas detectors/alarms: Like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, natural gas alarms are designed to alert you to leaks early. They are a simple but effective way to give your family peace of mind and are available online or in hardware stores.
• Enbridge Safety Resources: Enbridge (formerly Dominion Energy) offers valuable tips on natural gas safety. We encourage you to explore these resources on the Enbridge website (https://www.enbridge.com/energy-matters/energy-tips/natgas-safety).
• Report Concerns: If you ever suspect a gas leak in your home, move to a safe distance away (such as a neighbor’s home) and don’t hesitate to call 911 and contact Enbridge at 1-800-767-1689.

We will continue to share information as we receive it from the NTSB and Enbridge Company regarding this incident.

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