BELLINGHAM — It’s been more than two decades since a leaking gas pipeline in Whatcom Falls Park resulted in a deadly explosion. But the incident is still serving as a potent lesson for the federal government.
Federal policymakers and regulators toured the site of the explosion on Thursday, Aug. 19, led by representatives from Bellingham’s Pipeline Safety Trust, which was formed in the aftermath of the 1999 disaster. The group included U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, whose congressional district includes Bellingham, and Tristan Brown, acting administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
“My team here has been with the agency for decades,” said Brown, who was appointed by President Joe Biden in February. “And they still talk about this incident.”
On June 10, 1999, a series of human mistakes and mechanical errors led about 237,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline to leak out of an underground pipeline operated by Olympic Pipe Line Co., according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting. The gas seeped into Whatcom Creek and ignited around 5 p.m., turning the water body into a snaking channel of flames. The disaster killed two 10-year-old boys playing by the creek and an 18-year-old man. The fire burned for five days, scorching trees and killing any wildlife in its path. The disaster cost more than $187 million.