Williams Probe Expanded on ‘Unusual’ Gas Accidents Trio

A probe into safety practices at pipeline operator Williams Cos. is being expanded after a natural gas plant fire led to the evacuation of a town in Wyoming last month, the company’s third accident in a year.

While it’s unclear if there are any broader issues, the string of incidents is “unusual” said Dan Tillema, a lead investigator at the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, in an interview yesterday. “With a strong corporate oversight of process safety, it would be very unlikely to have three incidents like this in a 12-month period.”