A tank filled with byproducts from oil drilling exploded and caught fire on Tuesday near the General Motors Proving Ground in southeastern Michigan. Fortunately, this incident did not result in any injuries, although two nearby homes were damaged, according to local fire officials.
The explosion occurred around 6:40 a.m., causing noticeable shaking in the area and breaking windows in the two homes located approximately 500 to 600 feet away. Brighton Area Fire Authority Chief Michael O’Brian confirmed that no one was working at the site when the explosion took place.
Residents reported feeling the blast from miles away, and video footage captured flames rising dramatically from the scene, where oil drilling operations were underway.
General Motors released a statement expressing relief that there were no injuries or damage to their facilities. Chief O’Brian noted that the affected site is leased by a third party, and the investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.
He explained that the tank contained a mixture of natural gas byproducts, water, combustible liquid, and brine. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames using flame-suppressing foam and took additional precautions by spraying nearby tanks with water to prevent further escalation of the fire.
