Safety board issues report on Kentucky pipeline explosion

JUNCTION CITY, Ky. (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board says a 2019 pipeline explosion that resulted in one death and the destruction of five homes in Kentucky happened when the pipeline ruptured and released natural gas caught fire. The NTSB said Wednesday that 14 other homes were damaged as the fire burned about 30 acres in Lincoln County. The agency says the 30-inch pipeline, owned and operated by Enbridge Inc., had a preexisting manufacturing defect known as a hard spot. The NTSB said that combined with a degraded pipeline coating and ineffective corrosion prevention. Enbridge said in a statement that it was “deeply sorry” and has worked diligently to improve the safety of its pipelines.