An explosion and fire at a Dallas industrial company Wednesday morning was not due to liquefied natural gas (LNG) — early media reports to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Associated Press reported that “Tanks of liquefied natural gas exploded near downtown Dallas on Wednesday.” In fact, the tanks were at a welding company called Southwest Industrial Gases Inc. where a truck caught fire.

“Several tanks of material believed to be acetylene fuel could be seen exploding and throwing large pieces of shrapnel throughout the area,” the local CBS affiliate reported on its website.

The explosion happened near the interchange of I-30 and I-35, and both highways were shut down in the area. A half-mile area was evacuated. The Dallas CBS affiliate reported that two people had been taken to the burn unit at Parkland Memorial Hospital.

©Copyright 2007Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.