I know this may not be on the national news or anything..

But recently another house exploded in the Lehigh Valley.
It's, I believe, the sixth or maybe seventh time it's happened over the past, eh, 10 years?

Last years explosion, was amidst a majorly populated area near an elementary school. Luckily, no one was actually hurt but people were without power for hours, maybe even a day or two.

The house that actually exploded was empty; those living there were on vacation and, thankfully, so were their neighbors. I believe four or five houses were affected by the blast itself.

Later that same year, a gas pipe exploded in the close by vicinity of a Senior Home and a strip plaza; in the middle of the street and, unlike the first, several people were injured, and I even believe there was casualties.

Few years prior it was an abandoned house that no one had lived in for a few years. Time before that it was a ranch house in the country-border area of Quakertown; the only man living their perished, along with his three horses and some livestock.

Now, last year, the news questioned UGI, the major gas line company of the area which responded by saying:

"It has come to our understanding that a lot of the Lehigh Valley's gas lines are deteriorating from age. It is a problem we were, prior to this last incident, trying to control. We have begun the process of restructuring the gas lines, and it is our belief, that people can slowly begin to rest easy once again as this problem, I assure you, we are working diligently and ceaselessly to correct."

That was last year after the explosion that rocked the Senior Center. Now it happened again, this time, caused by one of the workers. They have yet to repair all the damage caused by the first two explosions, and on the same stone; reports of gas line leaks are sprouting up in various areas of the Lehigh Valley.

For those who don't know what the 'Lehigh Valley' actually is.

It's the four connected major cities of this area:

Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and Emmaus

I've lived in Allentown basically my whole life, cept the idea I was born in Pittsburgh.

My question is quite apparent..

Should I believe that UGI is going to fix this serious issue impeding my area, or, should I, like I'm starting to believe; get my arse outta here before I become one of these casualties?

I just have so much to lose by leaving here that I hesitate..
..and I'm not entirely sure 'if' I should this 'threatened'.

But it is, non-the-less, an issue in my area.
So I'm wondering how others would react if in this situation.

(Keep in mind, Allentown is the third largest city in Pennsylvania, only behind Pittsburgh and Philadelphia; thus, the Lehigh Valley in relative terms, is by no means 'minuscule'.)

Sin_and_sorrow,

Consider this, the entire infrastructure of the entire nation as a whole is "SHOT" corporate profits stock dividends and gov't spending has gone into anything but where it should have, now the chickens have come home to roost and it ain't gonna be pretty.
There's no way they'll get all the repairs done in time to prevent anymore damage and carnage. It's like Dirty Harry asked, " ya feel lucky punk...well do ya?"

If you think "...so much to loose by leaving...", I'd sooner think, "leave to fight another day".

Perhaps the City and County can get together on passing an ordinance for gas detectors with exterior alarms be installed in case of leaks.

JMO

I'm half in both mentalities..

On one side... More to lose than gain by leaving.
On the other.. More to lose than gain by staying.

*la-sigh*

So, if it was your area, you'd pack and leave?

I agree, that would be a step.
The Senior Home explosion was beneath the street, center of an intersection.

I'm not sure, can sensors pick that up?

There's like 12 different streets, or sections of a street, you have to 'avoid' due to it being closed off. What used to take 10 minutes, going from the South Side, to the West End, now takes 25, because of the alteration in the route you're forced to take.

In Pueblo, on union avenue, the Branch Inn exploded from faulty gas leaks underground. This is a tavern that I worked in for years when I was young. I think only one person was killed. The place is an empty lot now.

In Colorado Springs, I was working delivering pizza's when a house exploded due to a faulty gas leak. Luckily the man and his daughter were not in the house at the time. I think the daughter was in school and the man was outside emptying the trash.

(Here is the lesson. Don't hand out all day in a bar. Empty the trash. It could save your life.)

Old buildings, old cities etc. have gas and water pipes that are failing and falling apart. When a water pipe goes, people are just without water. When a gas pipe is leaking, one spark can blow something up.

Crews under New York City and other old cities work full time just keeping things working. The time and money it would take to replace all the faulty underbelly of the city is enormous. The city is crumbling.