UGI: No way to know Allentown pipeline would fail

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - July 3, 2012 (WPVI) -- A utility is telling Pennsylvania regulators it had no way of knowing a pipeline implicated in a fatal gas explosion in Allentown would fail.

The Morning Call reports UGI Utilities said in a filing with the Public Utility Commission on Monday that it had no way of knowing the cast iron pipeline would fail in February 2011, killing five people and destroying eight homes.

The utility also says that levels of odorant in the gas were within federal and state guidelines.

A PUC report blamed the explosion on a leak emanating from a crack in a cast-iron distribution line. The PUC has cited multiple safety violations and recommended a series of corrective actions and a $386,000 fine.

This week's filing sends the matter to an administrative law judge.

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Information from: The Morning Call, http://www.mcall.com

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allentown, lehigh county, pennsylvania, explosion, gas leak, local/state

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