A pipeline explosion occurred Saturday morning, February 14th, near Brighton, prompting a massive emergency response from multiple agencies across the region.
According to the Washington County Emergency Management, at approximately 10:50 a.m., the Washington County Communications Center received multiple calls reporting an explosion and a large fire in the 2000 block of 325th Street in rural Washington County, between 315th and 325th Streets near the Skunk River.
Upon arrival, the Washington Fire Department established Incident Command. Additional fire departments, EMS personnel, and Washington County Emergency Management assisted with coordination, resource management, and unified command operations.
Emergency responders determined the fire involved an underground pipeline owned and operated by Enterprise Products Partners L.P./Enterprise Products Operating LLC. Pipeline emergency response procedures were immediately implemented, and company personnel worked alongside Incident Command to secure the affected section of the pipeline. Authorities said this allowed secondary fires — including flames that spread across the Skunk River — to be contained.
No one was in the immediate area at the time of the explosion, and no injuries were reported. Officials confirmed there was no damage to residential structures. The incident was declared under control at approximately 12:57 p.m. Saturday.
Authorities emphasized there is no active threat to the public. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation. To protect the integrity of that investigation, no additional details are being released at this time.
The response included coordinated efforts from multiple agencies, including the fire departments from Washington, Brighton, Ainsworth, Crawfordsville, Wayland, and Richland; Washington and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Offices; Washington County Ambulance Service; Keokuk County Conservation; Washington County Engineer and Secondary Roads; the Iowa State Patrol; Washington County Emergency Management; and the Washington County Communications Center.
Photography courtesy of a photo capture of a video posted on the Eastern Iowa Accidents & Fire Facebook page.
