NORTHERN NATURAL GAS CO
gas_transmission Incident, , January 16, 2026
Incident Information
| Incident Date | January 16, 2026 |
| Operator | NORTHERN NATURAL GAS CO |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_transmission |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 46.31285, -92.88400 |
Cause
| Cause | MATERIAL FAILURE OF PIPE OR WELD |
| Subcause | ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING-RELATED (NOT GIRTH WELD OR OTHER WELDS FORMED IN THE FIELD) |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $10,000,000 |
| Emergency Response | $200,000 |
| Other Costs | $3,000,000 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"ON JANUARY 16, 2026, THE M440B NORTH BRANCH-TO-CARLTON 20-INCH MAINLINE RUPTURED AT MILEPOST 55, NEAR FOX LAKE IN PINE COUNTY, MINNESOTA. THE NEAREST TOWN IS WILLOW RIVER, MINNESOTA. THIS MAINLINE IS 85.7 MILES LONG. AT APPROXIMATELY 14:01HRS, NORTHERN WAS CONTACTED BY THE PINE COUNTY SHERRIFF, WHO REPORTED A RUPTURE AND A FIREBALL. THE SEGMENT WAS ISOLATED FROM VALVE 3 AT MILEPOST 43.1 NEAR THE WEST FORK ROAD CROSSING TO VALVE 4 AT MILEPOST 57.2 NEAR THE OAK BEND WAY ROAD CROSSING. THE BLOCK VALVES ARE MANUALLY OPERATED. BY 15:12HRS, THE SEGMENT HAD BEEN ISOLATED, AND THE FIRE WAS OUT OTHER THAN RESIDUAL GAS BURNING OFF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES. APPROXIMATELY 1723 FEET OF 20-INCH PIPE WAS IMPACTED BY THE RUPTURE. THE REMAINDER OF THE MAINLINE WAS REDUCED TO 80% OF THE ACTUAL OPERATING PRESSURE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT."
About This Pipeline Incident
Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.