Cause still undetermined a year after Reno Co. gas explosion

HAVEN— The inspection was closed last September into the explosion and fire at the Tenawa Haven Midstream gas facility on April 14, 2022.

The explosion left two people injured and caused extensive damage to the plant. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. OSHA spokesperson Scott Allen told Hutch Post in an email this week that the inspection was closed on Sept. 23, 2022.

"The main focus of the inspection was to determine the cause of the incident and determine if the company had followed OSHA standards and regulations," Allen said. "After examining the physical evidence, employer programs, and interviews with the employer and employees, the cause of the explosion could not be determined and no OSHA violations were discovered."

A fire unit from the refinery in McPherson and hazardous material units from Wichita were called to deal with the situation.

The fire forced the evacuation of numerous rural residents near the property and several businesses along the west side of Haven.

Eventually, the city itself was briefly evacuated because of an explosion risk, though that was quickly mitigated.