CBS Detroit, Michigan’s MilfordOn Tuesday, a significant explosion occurred at the General Motors Proving Grounds in Milford, prompting authorities to respond.
A portion of the building is situated in Brighton Township, and the complex is situated between Oakland and Livingston counties. There were no reported injuries. According to officials, nobody was there when the explosion occurred.
Crews were called to the natural gas drilling facility on the border of Pleasant Valley Road close to Birchcrest Drive at approximately 6:49 a.m., according to Brighton Area Fire Chief Michael O’Brian.
According to O’Brian, two nearby tanks and on-site wells were damaged when one tank exploded. There was further damage to two houses around a hundred feet apart.
According to fire officials, the explosion was audible up to five kilometers away.
“Crews were able to see the smoke and flames as they approached. They extracted natural gas from the earth after determining that it was located on what is regarded as leased property and that it is a natural gas processing area. Indeed, one of the process-related tanks that was filled with a flammable liquid and some brine solution was what we were witnessing when it exploded,” O’Brian explained.
According to a family member who spoke to CBS News Detroit, the blast destroyed the drywall at her parents’ house and blasted in windows and a door.
Another neighbor claims that after hearing the explosion outside her front door, she was startled out of her slumber.
“There was a tremendous boom that rocked our entire house, making us feel as though picture frames had fallen from the wall. “I initially thought, ‘Did a bomb just drop?'” Miranda Gohrmann said.
The moment the explosion lighted up the sky was filmed by Gohrmann’s security cameras.
“We thought that our house was on fire because the whole sky was orange, and it was crazy,” Gohrmann said.
Throughout the day, firefighters have stayed on the scene. Fire engines from several agencies have been parked along the road to rotate water to cool other tanks on site because, according to O’Brian, there are no fire hydrants in the vicinity.
The reason of the explosion is still being looked into by authorities. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and a hazmat team have been on the scene to keep an eye on the situation, CBS News Detroit also reported.
“We constantly have to worry about where that product goes when there is a flammable liquid fire like this one. They will keep an eye on it because while the majority of it is confined in some of the pits, some have escaped. O’Brian stated, “They are trying to obtain an analysis of what the product is.”
EGLE was approached by CBS News Detroit. A spokesperson says the agency plans to follow up on the cause and investigate any environmental impacts.
In response to the incident, General Motors issued the following statement:
“We are aware of an incident at the Milford Proving Ground involving one of the oil wells located on GM property. Thankfully, no one was injured, and no facilities were damaged. GM fire crews are on the scene and have the incident under control. Local fire departments are standing by if needed. We will continue to monitor the situation.”
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