Tiling Plow Hooks Natural Gas Line

[Urbish]

Be careful out there folks.
https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/father-son-die-pipeline-explosion-near-dixon

[Eugene]

I have read the posted link several times. There is information missing in the link, such as how deep was the pipe line buried. Was the pipe line location marked.

There is two natural gas pipe lines crossing the farm my grandparents then parents owned in west central Iowa. Signs were posted on the property lines indicating the location of the pipe lines.

The first pipe line was installed in the early 1950s. 2nd pipe line a bit later. The pipe lines were around 6 feet below ground level. Then row cropped farmed over.

Tragedy for sure.

[Don McCombs]

I have an 8 inch high pressure natural gas line running across my farm and this makes little sense to me, either. That line is buried a minimum of 4 feet, and probably greater in most areas. Not familiar with a tiling plow, but I can't imagine it going that deep. I have had tile work done in the vicinity of that line twice. Both times Utiliquest was called. No excuse for not doing that. It costs the landowner nothing.

[MiCarl]

The article reads like the tiling tractor got stuck, then the 2nd tractor they were trying to pull it loose with lost traction and struck the gas line. Sounds to me like it was an above ground line.

I don't know what they are called, but I have seen places where gas lines come out of the ground for valves and probably access for inspection. My guess would be that the towing tractor kicked sideways and broke something like that.