• Christopher McGown

Salvation Army EDS Team Monitors Estill County Pipeline Explosion

Louisville, KY (January 2, 2012) – At around 7:10 this evening a natural gas pipeline exploded in Estill County, Kentucky.

Emergency response crews laboring under a Severe (winter) Weather Alert, are working to contain the situation.   Local officials have said that no injuries have been reported related to the explosion or response.

Neighboring residents have been placed on standby for emergency evaluations.

“We’re working with State and local emergence management officials to determine how best to respond to this need,” said Joe Hughes, Divisional Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator for The Salvation Army’s Kentucky/Tennessee Division.

Estill County is served 365 days a year by The Salvation Army’s office in nearby Richmond, Kentucky.   "We’ve placed the Richmond Corps on stand-by,” Hughes added.  Captains Mark and Sally Love, the leaders of the Richmond Salvation Army, are making preparations for any response deemed appropriate.

Stand-by means that their mobile kitchen (Canteen) is stocked and readied for deployment to serve hot meals, snacks, and drinks to emergency responders already on the scene. 

The Salvation Army is actively surveying the situation and is prepared to respond to the needs of the citizens of Estill County.

For the latest news about Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services or to make a donation in the support of those impacted by this explostion, please visit:   www.disaster.SalvationArmyUSA.org.  You can also call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).

You may also help The Salvation Army now by texting “SAnow” 80888 to make a $10.00 contribution to the relief effort.   The donation will appear on your next phone bill.

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About the Salvation Army:  The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865.  Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.  About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 5,000 communities nationwide.  For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.