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Colorado says 428 pipelines failed leak test after Firestone explosion

Posted at 1:26 PM, Sep 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-28 19:00:57-04

DENVER (AP) — Colorado regulators say about 430 oil or gas pipelines near occupied buildings failed a leak-detection test that the state ordered after a fatal explosion blamed on a gas line.

The results were posted on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission website Wednesday.

It wasn't immediately clear if a test failure means with certainty that the line is leaking or if might indicate some other problem.

Officials didn't immediately respond to an email seeking clarification. Regulators said the status of another 13,000 pipelines remains unclear, and officials are working with energy companies to get more information.

More than 107,000 pipelines either passed the test or were out of service and sealed.

The state ordered tests on pipelines within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of occupied buildings after the fatal explosion in April.