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Article

21 Apr 2014

Author:
Garance Burke, Associated Press

Pacific Gas & Electric pleads not guilty to 12 criminal counts in fatal California pipe blast [USA]

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. [PG&E] pleaded not guilty…to a dozen felony charges stemming from alleged safety violations in a deadly 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion…[Prosecutors requested] to increase the maximum fine PG&E could face to more than $6 million, if the court decides the company somehow benefited financially or saved money as a result of criminal misconduct…[City] officials…said they believed company officials should be charged as well…PG&E said in a statement the company is holding itself accountable and does not believe any employee intentionally violated federal regulations…No individual PG&E employees have been charged criminally…Prosecutors allege that PG&E knowingly relied on erroneous and incomplete information when assessing the safety of the pipeline that eventually ruptured and sparked a fireball that destroyed 38 homes, killed eight people and injured dozens of others…[Also refers to Olympic Pipe Line Co.]