Tiny Wyoming Town Evacuated After Explosion at Natural Gas Plant

A small town in southwestern Wyoming was evacuated on Wednesday afternoon after an explosion and fire at a natural gas processing plant.

Lincoln County spokesman Stephen Malik told NBC Station KSLthat there were no injuries from the blast, which occurred about 2 p.m.

An area of about 3 miles outside the town was evacuated as a precaution, he said.

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Opal, Wyoming, a town of some 100 residents 100 miles northeast of Salt Lake City, was completely emptied and nearby U.S. Highway 30 and State route 240 were closed because of the fire at the plant.

No structures in the town were damaged, however, officials said.

Plant officials said that all workers at the plant were accounted for. The plant is operated by the Oklahoma-based Williams Partners L.P.

The cause of the blast was still under investigation, and it was unclear how long the evacuation orders would remain in effect.

—Jeff Black