Pipeline Fire Traced to Pinhole Leak

CLEARBROOK, Minn. (AP) – An oil pipeline explosion that killed two workers and caused a spike in oil prices can be traced back to a pinhole leak first repaired three weeks ago, the company said.

The fire was extinguished Thursday morning, and oil prices ended the day just slightly higher after it became clear that the Enbridge Energy pipeline would come back on line quickly.


Enbridge spokesman Larry Springer said Friday that workers were trying to remove leaked oil from around the pipeline. Once that’s done it can be repaired.

He said the company still hoped to have the pipeline fixed within a few days, and that it was running at 80 percent of capacity in the meantime.

AP