Fire out at natural gas pipeline compressor station in Alcorn County

Anchor/Reporter/Assistant News Director

Fire burning at a compressor station on the Columbia Gulf natural gas pipeline east of Corinth during a thunderstorm. (Philip Trest)

An early morning fire broke out at the compressor station on the Columbia Gulf natural gas pipeline east of Corinth.

ALCORN COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) — Lightning is believed to have started an overnight fire at a compressor station on a natural gas pipeline east of Corinth.

Firefighters from Farmington showed up in response to the fire around 1 a.m. Friday.

"The first units on the scene driving up to the gate noticed there was product that was coming out of an overflow pipe that was probably sheared off by the lightning strike," said Alcorn County Emergency Management Director Ricky Gibens.

Philip Trest lives about a mile and a half from the compressor. He said he saw the sky glowing over some nearby trees and heard what sounded to him like a jet engine.

According to Trest, he initially saw a bolt of lightning and heard a loud clap of thunder. After 10 to 15 seconds, he realized he wasn't hearing thunder.

Trest said that is when he called 911 and drove toward the compressor station.

Columbia Gulf Transmission said no one was hurt in the fire and is working to get natural gas flowing again through that section of the pipeline.

The compressor station helps move natural gas through Columbia Gulf's pipeline, which runs from the Louisiana coast through Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Anchor/Reporter/Assistant News Director

Craig is from Smithville, Mississippi. He is a graduate of Smithville High School and the University of Southern Mississippi.