One person was killed and several injured, in a pipeline explosion in Shelby County Monday afternoon.  According to reports, those injured were severely burned and were transported to UAB for treatment.

Pipeline Operator Colonial issued a statement, saying contractors “experienced an incident when the trackhoe it was using hit the line”. 

It appears that several subcontractors were working on the Colonial gas pipeline when that explosion occurred around 3:00pm.  Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego informed media outlets that subcontractors were trying to flush one of the lines and when they began to dig that’s when the explosion happened.

Colonial shut down both pipelines running through the area; that explosion occurred about five miles west of the recent Colonial Pipeline gasoline leak that led to temporary shortages throughout much of the southeast.

(al.com/www.al.com)