Woman Airlifted To St. Paul Burn Center After Williston Gas Explosion

A natural gas explosion and resulting fire at a multi-family apartment building in Williston on Wednesday left one woman seriously injured and forced six residents from their homes.

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July 15 Williston Fire Picture

Gas Line Explosion Triggers Massive Emergency Response in Williston

According to the Williston Fire Department, crews were dispatched at 12:16 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, to the 1400 block of 4th Avenue West following reports of a residential structure fire with an explosion.

Initial information indicated that a work crew was at the property when a natural gas line was damaged, triggering the explosion. Reports also indicated that one person had been injured.

The Williston Fire Department activated a first-alarm response, sending two fire engines, a ladder truck, two ambulances, paid-on-call firefighters, and command staff to the scene. The Williston Police Department assisted with traffic control and scene security, while Williams County/Williston Emergency Management later deployed its mobile breathing air-fill station to support firefighters during the extended operation.

Firefighters from Engine 1 and Medic 1, based at Fire Station No. 1, arrived just three minutes after dispatch at 12:19 p.m.

Upon arrival, paramedics located a woman in her 20s who had suffered significant burns over portions of her body. She was immediately treated and transported to CHI St. Alexius Health – Williston Medical Center in serious but stable condition.

Meanwhile, firefighters began attacking the blaze, but efforts were complicated by an active natural gas leak. Additional crews, including Engine 3 and Truck 2, joined the firefighting operation while waiting for MDU to secure the damaged gas line.

The utility company was able to shut off the ruptured line at 1:14 p.m. At that point, firefighters had the blaze contained, although extinguishing the remaining fire proved difficult due to extensive structural damage.

The explosion caused a partial collapse of both the roof and portions of the floor into the basement, making it challenging for crews to locate and extinguish lingering hot spots. The fire was officially declared extinguished at 4:23 p.m., more than four hours after firefighters first arrived.

Later in the afternoon, at 1:37 p.m., the Williston Fire Department was dispatched to transport the Sanford AirMed flight crew from Williston Basin International Airport (XWA) to CHI St. Alexius. After further evaluation, the victim—who suffered second- and third-degree burns—was airlifted to the Regions Hospital Burn Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, for specialized treatment.

July 15 Williston Fire Picture

Six Residents Displaced After Apartment Building Becomes Uninhabitable

The damaged building is a four-unit apartment complex, with two apartments on the main level and two in the basement. All four units were occupied at the time of the explosion, with a total of six residents living in the building.

As a result of the incident, all six residents have been displaced.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, though initial reports indicate it was related to accidental damage to a natural gas line during work at the property. Fire officials have not released additional information regarding the injured victim or the extent of damage to the building.