In a freak and tragic accident, a natural-gas pipeline explodes
in Russia's Ural Mountains just as two trains pass it. The
explosion occurred near the town of Ufa in what was then the
Soviet Union and was the result of poor judgment by pipeline
workers. They were aware that the pressure in the pipeline
dropped significantly on June 3—a sign of a possible leak.
However, instead of following standard procedure and checking
for leaks, they instead pumped more and more natural gas through
the line to keep the pressure up. The gas continued to leak and
spread through the nearby area, mostly settling in a low area
near the rail tracks about a mile from the pipeline. As this was
happening, two trains were approaching on the Trans-Siberian
Railway, passing each other near the gas leak. Suddenly, the
natural gas ignited, causing a massive fireball to erupt and
flames to spread over an area a mile in length. The force of the
explosion knocked several train cars right off the tracks.
Hundreds of trees in the surrounding