Explosions caused by methane from decomposing sewage

When sewage and landfills decompose, they give off methane gas. Methane is the primary component of natural gas and can be explosive. I've already documented a couple of natural gas explosions in my hometown of Fort Wayne, IN: Phelps Dodge and Broadway Street. But this past week I've come across a couple of examples of methane from sewage causing explosions.

Water reclamation plant explosion

WGN-TV from Chicago Tribune
Methane suspected in blast that hurt 10 plant workers

A buildup of methane gas was suspected of causing an explosion Thursday at Cook County’s oldest water treatment plant on the Far South Side, collapsing a roof and seriously injuring 10 workers, two of them trapped under steel beams and rubble. One of the trapped workers was rescued about 20 minutes after the blast ripped through a sludge concentration building at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant at 400 E. 130th St. around 11 a.m., according to Chicago fire officials. The second worker was “buried” by fallen debris and it took firefighters two hours to free him, Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago told reporters. Specially trained firefighters tunneled underneath the rubble to reach the worker, who remained conscious. “Companies had to dig 6 feet down and then tunnel their way across 20 feet to the victim,” said Santiago, whose last day on the job was Thursday. Firefighters removed a metal beam from the worker’s legs while paramedics worked to keep him from going into shock, the commissioner said. Emergency crews made sure to relieve pressure on his arms and legs so he would not face amputation. The worker was airlifted to the University of Chicago Medical Center with leg injuries and a broken jaw. He was listed in critical condition but was described as alert....All the other injured workers were listed in serious to critical condition as they were taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, University of Chicago Medical Center, Stroger Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. 

The plant is the oldest of seven Metropolitan Water Reclamation District treatment facilities, according to the agency’s website. It began operations in 1922 and serves more than 1 million people in a 300-square-mile area in the southern portion of Cook County. There was no immediate word from the district how the explosion will affect operations. Methane is a byproduct of the treatment process, and officials said they were investigating whether a buildup of the gas caused the explosion in the one-story brick building....Ruiz told his wife the explosion sounded as if it came from below ground, leading workers to speculate that it occurred in the sewer pipes underneath the building. “He said (the explosion) blew the roof off and (it) came back down,” she said. 

By William Lee and Rosemary Sobol Chicago Tribune

MWRD's posted press release:

For immediate release
August 30, 2018
Statement from the MWRD Board of Commissioners
Earlier today, ten people were injured at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant located at 400 E. 130th Street in Chicago. City of Chicago emergency responders heroically rescued two individuals that were trapped under a collapsed roof. The District is extremely grateful for the tremendous effort put forth by the Chicago Fire Department and other responders in extricating two trapped workers and attending to all of the injured. All ten workers were transported to local hospitals with injuries of varying severity, none of which appear to be life threatening. As of 4:30 PM today, five of the workers have been released and are headed home. The plant remains in operation and there is no threat to the public.
“The MWRD applauds the City of Chicago’s emergency responders for their commitment and expertise in rescuing and treating our workers. We will thoroughly investigate this incident to determine how this happened and identify measures to prevent something like this from happening again. Our trades and plant staff can work in potentially dangerous situations in order to protect the safety and health of the people of Cook County. Those injured today and their families are in our thoughts and we hope that they make a swift recovery from their injuries.”
President Mariyana Spyropoulos
Vice President Barbara McGowan
Chairman of Finance Frank Avila
Commissioner Ken Dunkin
Commissioner Martin Durkan
Commissioner Josina Morita
Commissioner Debra Shore
Commissioner Kari K. Steele
Commissioner David Walsh

In the 9/1/2018 Chicago Tribune, Rosemary Sobol has another article. Workers were doing maintenance on a "very large" tank when a torch ignited methane gas, which is a natural byproduct of the treatment process.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said the workers may not have been monitoring the area just before the torch was ignited. “All we know is you’re supposed to have your (personal) monitoring device on when you go in,” he said. “Using a torch in that environment wasn’t supposed to be done.”
During the two-hour rescue of the trapped worker, [specially trained] firefighters used airbags and hydraulics to lift thousands of pounds of concrete and debris. An IV was started, and the worker was stabilized while firefighters tunneled to reach him, Langford said.
“They had to lift the concrete carefully so we didn’t cause a further collapse,’’ he said. “On the fourth attempt to raise the concrete, we brought him up high enough to clear him without any further collapse.’’
The man suffered fractures including to his legs and face.

I was confused how a paramedic could start an IV if the firefighters had not reached him yet. Then I decided that the paramedic could use a part of the body for the IV while other parts were still trapped under debris. The firefighters had to clear an area not only big enough to free all parts of the body, but also be big, and stable, enough to get him out.

An MWRD update indicated that all 10 workers have been released from the hospitals. But they report that the cause is still under investigation. [wwdmag] It sounds like an MWRD person should talk to the same fireman that the Tribune reporter talked to. However, a Sept. 4th press release implied that one worker was still in the hospital.

For immediate release
September 4, 2018
MWRD Update: 9th worker injured in building collapse released from hospital
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is thankful to report that another worker injured in last Thursday’s building collapse at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant has been released from the hospital. One person still remains hospitalized.
While the plant continued to treat water, solids handling operations were initially impacted. Crews working around the clock have been able to restore solids treatment.
Protecting our water environment is a 24-hour per day job that requires hard work and commitment. As this weekend’s celebration of Labor Day reminds us, there are no holidays for wastewater treatment and stormwater management as operations run 24/7 every day of the year.
We thank the emergency responders and healthcare workers also working around the clock to protect the public.
[MWRD]

(Facebooked)

A chunk of a manhole blown up by a sewer explosion slices off the top of a woman's head [DeadInChicago]

Sewers exploding on the southeast side of Chicago

John Rossodivito posted the question: "Do any of you East Siders remember when the sewers exploded in the early 70's?"
Steve Dietrich My dad was an engineer at Republic Steel. It wasn't their fault. They weren't connected to city sewers.
George M. Pitts Yep Republic Steel dumped a bunch of cleaner in the sewer and it exploded. At least that's the story going around then I worked on 98th and L at Wally's grocery store in the sewer lid in the basement blew up and hit the floor of of the store right down the street on Avenue N a boat in front of a bar the sewer lid came up and smashed the whole front of the boat
Gary Nowak Yes Republic steel dumped something in the sewer,was eating dinner in kitchen and looked out the window window seen something flying over the houses. Found out a sewer cover landed in the yard on 112th N lived on 113th N
Matthew Connors Believe it was xylem. Very volatile
Steve Dietrich Republic was not connected to the Chicago sewers. The city screwed up with unvented sewers and the methane built up. Republic took the rap in exchange for tax and other benefits.

Paul Mclain No longer an easy sider but when I was 10. Lived on 98 age j. And do remember. The man hole covers blew way high in the sky.
Rosemary Kish Nasella Sitting on the front porch 104th Green Bay & watched the sewer covers go flying in the air from south to north down the block...So worried about where were my kids....
Glenn J Cubs Remember sewer cover hitting the front door of a house on 112th and O
Kim Price Yes I do. I lived on 112 th Ave O. One of the sewer lids was by the front door.
Matthew Connors Remember sewer caps blew out all over. Think I remember one person hit by sewer cap that bounced like half a block to get them.
Bill Czaszewicz A lady on the corner of 112th and N got hurt
Steve Timble What did it sound like?
Jo Downs-Rinkema Large, rumbling boom with a wall of flame
Wayne Wasily Yes. Went through my back windshield
Steve Keane Yes I was out front of my house. The cover went up in air about 15 feet

Michael Waszkiewicz I remember the one when they blew up between 107th and 108th on Indianapolis Boulevard

George Ceko posted images of the Daily Calumet Aug 20, 1971, article on the blast. The explosion covered 44 blocks from 95th to 117th along Avenues N and O. "Eugene Dibble, a member of the Chicago sanitary district board, late yesterday put the blame for the near disaster, on Republic Steel Corporation, 117th and Avenue O. Dibble, a Republican member of the board, did not explain his information. Dibble said Republic Steel had been pumping a highly inflammatory substance directly into the East Side sewer lines for four hours and 45 minutes prior to the sequence of explosions. The Daily Calumet contacted Republic Steel officials as late as 10 p.m. yesterday but they refused to comment on the situation." (So government sourced Fake News is not a recent invention.) The only injury reported was a woman whose leg was struck by a sewer cover which traveled the distance of a city block. The first responders had narrowed their search for the source to 103rd vicinity.

Other sewer line explosions in Chicago

This posting indicates why it is creditable for the sanitary district to blame a company for dumping "bad stuff" down the sewer.

Photo Source