Enbridge Energy fined $2.4M fine for NE Minn. oil blast

The federal Department of Transportation has fined Enbridge Energy $2.4 million for a pipeline explosion and fire that killed two workers in northwestern Minnesota in 2007.

U.S. Rep. James Oberstar announced the fine Tuesday. A federal investigation finished in 2008 found Enbridge committed eight probable violations prior to the accident near Clearbrook, Minn., that killed two welders from Superior, Wis.

A spokesman for Houston-based Enbridge Energy Partners did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The company had previously said the federal findings were consistent with its own internal investigation of what happened.

The company determined the blast happened after oil mist escaped from a coupling on the new section of pipeline and was ignited by a heater. The accident also caused $2 million property damage and caused world oil prices to spike.

An Enbridge pipeline is responsible for a massive oil spill in a Michigan river which occurred last month. The leaking pipeline spilled between 820,000 and 1 million gallons of oil into a tributary of the Kalamazoo River on July 26.

The pipeline runs from Griffith, Ind. to Sarnia, Ontario.

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