KD Investigates: Could A Tanker Explosion Happen Here?
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The tanker train that derailed in West Virginia resulting in a fiery explosion was carrying the same Bakken crude that travels through our region and the City of Pittsburgh every day.
It's the job of local emergency managers like Pittsburgh's Deputy Public Safety Director Mike Huss to prepare for a similar incident.
"It's a very dangerous situation," he says. "We recognize that; we're prepared for that. We've invested a lot of money, federal money into foam, firefighting foam and firefighting foam trailers."
In our reports, we've told you how most of the volatile crude is being transported in aging tanker cars and that the industry is changing over to a more crash-resistant variety.
There's some disappointment that the wreck in west Virginia did involve those newer cars and that more than a dozen car did explode or catch fire.
But about a half dozen derailed cars did not, and Huss still believes there's a benefit to the upgrade.
"Any type of a hardening of the vessel itself that can be done is going to help reduce the potential for a leak or an explosion," said Huss.
The threat of derailments and explosions have some calling for the construction of pipelines to transport the crude, and the city's requests that it be re-routed around downtown have fallen on deaf ears by the industry and the federal government.
Any method of transporting this crude is not without its risks, but that's largely out of the hands of local emergency managers, and so they prepare as best they can for any potential incidents.
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