WHITELAND TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Energy company Sunoco says heavy rains are what caused a sinkhole in a neighborhood that exposed one of its natural gas pipelines. Residents aren't buying it. They say the company is to blame, and they're sick of it.
Armed private security warned KYW news crews to keep back, but not for the threat of an explosion. It's a neighborhood on edge, and once again, the focus of state regulators and investigators. They don't want cameras added to the mix.
"I'm really worried because I don't think people are being told the truth. It's out there. It's clear that they don't know what they're doing. And they're putting a lot of people at risk," said resident Christian DeGiulio.
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The state's utility commission is probing why the ground collapsed around the Mariner East 1 pipeline. The hole opened up Sunday afternoon due to heavy rains, according to Sunoco and Energy Transfer LP.
Neighbors accused the companies of holding back information. "They give you these things to tell you, say it's beneficial to do this or that but it sparks concern not knowing what can actually happen," said resident Jason Mattia.
The incident touched off quick blowback. Ginny Kerslake of Del Chesco United for Pipeline Safety told KYW, "The operation of those pipelines should be shut down and construction halted until there is a full review of this."
The company did shut down transmission on Mariner 1. The line, it said, wasn't affected by the subsidence.
"The worst case is we've depended on luck. Really, this is the second time with that same house, they had to evacuate the first time. Luck is no way to preserve the safety of the people of the commonwealth and the people who live in this neighborhood," said Pennsylvania State Senator Andrew Dinniman. He says the real problem is this just isn't the right place to build a pipeline.