Staff Reports
GRAHAM COUNTY – A farm equipment accident just east of the Safford City limits led to a natural gas pipeline rupture on Wednesday, Jan. 14, prompting a brief evacuation of nearby homes but resulting in no injuries.
According to a report from the Graham County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at approximately 4:49 p.m. when an employee of Whitmer Farms struck an underground gas line while using a farm implement to rip up a cotton field. The location was in a field northwest of the intersection of Welker Lane and Highline Canal Road, near Safford.
First responders from the Safford Fire Department, Southwest Gas, and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene. The damaged line was identified as belonging to Kinder Morgan, which was promptly notified and sent representatives to the site. The rupture occurred in an area where the pipeline runs beneath several agricultural fields.
Residents in the vicinity were contacted by fire and sheriff’s personnel. As a precaution, approximately 20 individuals from homes on Nor Jean Way were evacuated due to potential hazards posed by the leak.
Kade Whitmer of Whitmer Farms met with Waylon Lane, a Kinder Morgan representative, to discuss the incident. Whitmer explained that the farm implement in use could reach a maximum depth of about 20 inches, depending on settings and field terrain. The group then proceeded to the farm’s equipment yard, where the tractor and implement had been moved after the strike.
Lane inspected and photographed the implement without objection from Whitmer. During the inspection, Lane noted that the gas line was buried at a depth of approximately 12 inches at the point of impact. He mentioned that Kinder Morgan was considering burying the line deeper during the upcoming repairs to help prevent future incidents.
The evacuation was lifted shortly after 8 p.m., allowing residents to return home safely. Authorities confirmed there were no reports of injuries to the tractor operator or anyone else involved.
Local emergency services and pipeline operators emphasized the importance of “call before you dig” protocols to avoid similar events in the future.
