A backhoe caused a leak in an ammonia pipeline near Hampton, Ark., in Calhoun County on Thursday evening, Sept. 23, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, citing the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management. U.S. Highway 278 was briefly closed, and the leak was reported capped as of 10:30 pm. Local residents were either evacuated or ordered to shelter-in-place.
The Hampton School District declared a “snow day” on Friday, Sept. 24, as a result of the incident, according to the Magnolia Reporter.
NuStar Pipeline Operating Partnership LP, a division of NuStar Energy LP, San Antonio, operates the pipeline. It confirmed that the leak occurred at around 7:00 pm Thursday, Sept. 23, after the pipeline was impacted by a third-party excavator. NuStar said its personnel immediately implemented response procedures, which involved shutting down the pipeline and dispatching personnel to minimize the impact of the release.
NuStar said there were no reported injuries, but out of an abundance of caution, it evacuated residents who live within a 2.5-mile radius of the pipeline. It also said it contacted all appropriate emergency response and regulatory officials and is working closely with local authorities to secure and monitor the area.