On the night of July 12, residents of Oxford, Middlebury and Naugatuck were awakened by a deafening roar that many described as a jet engine landing in their driveways. The sound, which lasted roughly 45 minutes, was traced to a malfunction at the Oxford natural‑gas compressor station, a facility that boosts pressure for the Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline.
What happened at the station?
According to incident data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), two equipment failures occurred. A loose connection on a newly installed emergency pull switch triggered an emergency shutdown at about 12:47 a.m. While the shutdown system stopped the compressors, a valve meant to seal the station from the pipeline failed to close fully. As a result, natural gas vented through the station’s discharge pipes for roughly 53 minutes, finally being manually sealed at about 1:40 a.m.
The rapid depressurization created the jet‑engine‑like noise heard by homeowners. Talor Musil, field manager for the Environmental Health Project, explained that the sound was likely caused by the high‑pressure gas expanding into the atmosphere.
Scale of the release
PHMSA data show that more than 35 million cubic feet of natural gas escaped in less than an hour. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that amount could power about 450 Connecticut homes for an entire year. It is the largest reported natural‑gas release in Connecticut in the past decade and ranks in the top ten percent of nationwide releases over the same period.
Health concerns raised
Hospitalist Dr. Kirsten Ek of Connecticut Health Professionals for Climate Action warned that methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas and can be hazardous when inhaled in high concentrations. While low‑level exposure may cause dizziness, nausea, and throat irritation, higher concentrations can lead to headaches, confusion, rapid breathing, heart stress and loss of consciousness. Ek also noted that methane can contribute to ground‑level ozone formation, worsening respiratory conditions.
Local resident ShawnaLee Kwashnak reported a burning sensation in her throat the day after the incident, a symptom consistent with exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can accompany natural‑gas releases.
Regulatory response
Enbridge, the pipeline owner, told Connecticut Public that the station experienced an “unplanned outage” and that “at no time was there a threat to public safety.” The company has not yet filed a Clean Air Act deviation report with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), which would be required if the release violated air‑quality standards.
Both the Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) and PHMSA declined to comment on the specific incident, noting that blowdowns—intentional releases during emergency shutdowns—are regulated at the federal level rather than by state agencies.
Calls for transparency
Residents and local activists say they were not informed about the volume of gas released or the steps being taken to prevent a repeat event. “There should be transparency and an apology,” Kwashnak said. Sierra Club Connecticut director Samantha Dynowski echoed the sentiment, urging more public disclosure of blowdown data and better notification for nearby communities.
The incident comes as another Connecticut compressor station in Brookfield, operated by Iroquois Pipeline Operating Company, faces local opposition to a proposed expansion. The juxtaposition highlights growing community concerns about the safety and environmental impact of natural‑gas infrastructure in the state.
What’s next?
Local officials and federal regulators are expected to review the incident to determine whether additional safety measures or reporting requirements are needed. In the meantime, residents are urged to stay informed about emergency protocols and to report any health symptoms that may be linked to future releases.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
