Emergency officials have released new details regarding Saturday morning’s pipeline explosion and fire in rural Washington County.
According to Washington County Emergency Management, the Washington County Communications Center received multiple 9-1-1 calls at approximately 10:50 a.m. on February 14th reporting an explosion and large fire in the 2000 block of 325th Street.
The Washington Fire Department established Incident Command, with assistance from additional fire and EMS mutual aid agencies. Officials later confirmed the fire involved an underground pipeline owned and operated by Mid-America Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
Emergency responders and the company’s pipeline personnel worked together to secure the affected section of pipeline and extinguish secondary fires, including flames that had spread across the nearby Skunk River. Authorities report the fire was contained with no injuries and no damage to residential structures. The incident was declared under control at approximately 12:57 p.m.
Officials say there is no active threat to the public. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, and no additional details are being released at this time to protect the integrity of that investigation.
The response involved multiple agencies, including the Iowa State Patrol, area fire departments, county conservation and public works personnel, and local ambulance services.
Emergency Management officials also thanked Hy-Vee and Jersey Mike’s Subs in Washington for providing support to first responders during the incident.
Updates will be shared as more information becomes available.