Firefighters in Butler County receive training on how to respond to natural gas pipeline explosions like the one that occurred last week in Kentucky, but they haven't had to put that training to use.

A regional pipeline ruptured Aug. 1 in Lincoln County, Kentucky, causing a massive explosion that killed one person, hospitalized five others, destroyed railroad tracks and forced the evacuation of a nearby mobile home park. The explosion also set a number of homes on fire. State and federally funded programs, Butler County Community College and gas companies provide firefighter training, said Steve Bicehouse, Butler County emergency services director.

There hasn't been a gas line explosion in the seven years he has worked for the county, but local fire departments would respond if one were to occur.

“When these events occur the local emergency responders are the ones in charge. The county acts as a resource for them. They tell us what they need and what they want. If we don't have the resource we'd reach out in the region and we'd also reach out to the state,” Bicehouse said.

This is a preview of an article that will appear in Sunday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read about how local firefighters train for a pipeline explosion like the one this week in Kentucky.