An investigative report about the June 7 pipeline explosion in Johnson County was released yesterday by the Texas Railroad Commission. The natural gas pipeline explosion killed one person and injured eight others.
According to the commission, the operator of the large pipeline, Houston-based Enterprise Products Operating LLC, violated many state regulations. Enterprise failed to provide markings to identify buried pipelines before excavation activity, place pipeline markers over each buried main or transmission line, ensure that personnel was qualified and ensure that its employees had adequate knowledge of how to use GPS equipment to locate pipeline facilities. Further, the operator failed to test its employees post-accident for prohibited drugs and require them to submit to alcohol testing.
The explosion occurred at 2:40 p.m. on June 7, after the pipeline was struck by an auger. The auger was being used to drill in order to install high-wire power poles. The driver of the auger truck was killed, and the explosion could be seen for miles.

