6:45 a.m. Authorities say no one was injured when a natural gas pipeline exploded in northwest Oklahoma, shooting flames into the sky that were visible from up

to 50 miles away.

The explosion happened at about 11 p.m. Tuesday in a rural area of Harper County near the Kansas border. The pipeline is owned by Northern Natural Gas Company of Omaha, Neb.

Company spokesman Mike Loeffler says the cause of the explosion isn’t yet known. He says firefighters have contained the blaze and are letting it burn itself out.

Four nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

The explosion occurred in a rural part of the state near the Panhandle.

 

4:00 a.m. Highways are open this morning near the Kansas Oklahoma border where a natural gas pipeline exploded late Tuesday.

The explosion in the Oklahoma panhandle, an hour south of Dodge City, sent flames 100 feet into the air and could be seen for miles. Homes in the area were evacuated. The fire is out and no injuries have been reported.