An explosion and fire at a natural gas plant in southwestern Wyoming forced the evacuation of the nearby town of Opal, a plant spokeswoman said Wednesday.
No injuries were immediately reported among the plant’s 42 employees or anyone in Opal, about five miles away, which has a population of 98. Officials shut down neighboring highways after the midafternoon blast.
Williams Companies Inc. owns the facility, which takes raw gas, processes it and ships it off in a pipeline. It’s among several energy companies with operations in the area, company spokeswoman Michele Swaner told the Los Angeles Times.
The explosion is believed to have occurred at a trans-turboexpander, a machine that helps separate the components of natural gas, she said.