A dramatic explosion in North Texas—caught on a home doorbell camera—has drawn attention to concerns about older underground gas lines that may still be in use.
The February blast left one woman severely injured; she was flown to a hospital for emergency treatment, according to reporting from CBS News. Investigators have since been working to determine what caused the explosion, with early findings pointing toward a possible gas leak.
Atmos Energy, which supplies natural gas to more than 3.3 million customers across the southern United States, said its crews discovered a leak in a small հատված of buried pipe near the site after the incident. The company noted that the pipe dated back to the early 1970s and had been installed by a previous utility operator. As of late April, officials had not confirmed the exact material of the pipe or definitively linked it to the explosion.
State records, however, indicate that regulators had flagged certain plastic gas pipes from that era decades ago. In the early 2000s, authorities ordered the removal of a type known as Poly-1, which had been used in parts of North Texas during the 1970s. According to officials, these pipes were susceptible to cracking over time, increasing the risk of underground gas leaks.
Atmos said it now appears that a short հատված of this older pipe may have been overlooked during earlier removal efforts. The company stated it had no prior knowledge that the section remained in place.
Historically, the issue with Poly-1 piping had been taken seriously after multiple explosions were linked to the material, including a deadly incident in 1997. Regulators directed TXU Gas, the utility at the time, to locate and remove all such piping. Without complete installation records, crews dug tens of thousands of test holes to track it down. When Atmos Energy took over the system in 2004, it said it relied on those earlier efforts and understood the outdated pipes had already been removed.
In response to the recent explosion, Atmos now believes some of that aging infrastructure may still exist. The company says it continues to remove any remaining segments when discovered and is reviewing past records to ensure no other sections were missed. It also reports that it is not currently aware of any additional Poly-1 pipe in the Lake Dallas area.
Crews have since been working in the neighborhood to replace gas lines as a precaution. Despite these efforts, some residents say they remain uneasy about the possibility of another incident.
Gas leaks are uncommon but can be highly dangerous when they occur, with the potential to cause serious damage and injuries. Some safety advocates note that switching from gas-powered appliances to electric alternatives—such as induction stoves—can help reduce risks inside the home while also improving indoor air quality.