Gas Line Explosion Rocks Harper County; Families Forced Out Of Homes

A massive fire is under control Wednesday morning after a large gas line exploded northwest of Laverne near the town of Rosston in Harper County, Oklahoma.

The site is located four miles south of the Kansas state line.

Laverne Fire Department Chief, Dan Crocker, says the 30-inch pipeline belongs to Northern Natural Gas and representatives from the company are on scene. As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the fire was under control, but firefighters were allowing it to burn itself out.

It's not known what caused the explosion.   

Harper County Emergency Management Director Conyetta Lehanayer says she was notified of the incident at 10:47 p.m. She says no injuries have been reported, but four homes within two miles of the site have been evacuated.   

One of those two homes evacuated belongs to Kevin Terry.  

Terry says the pipeline blast was on his property and is an estimated 200 yards away from his home.  

Kevin Terry says he was sleeping when the blast rocked his home. He says he quickly left with his wife and their 10-year old son. They were not injured.

Terry said at first he thought a jet crashed in his backyard. He said the house was shaking and would not stop shaking. They're not sure if the blast caused any damage to their home.

Harper County Sheriff's Deputy Cliff Brinson says the fire sounds like four roaring jet engines and has flames reaching two football fields high.