FLORESVILLE, Texas – Three weeks since a gas line explosion in Floresville, a city official is pointing the finger at a fiber optic company and its subcontractor.
On July 16, a Rise Broadband crew said a gas line in Floresville was compromised while it installed fiber optic lines and that an explosion followed.
According to the Floresville police chief, the explosion damaged approximately 13 properties and left one home in a pile of rubble.
This week, Floresville City Councilwoman Beatrice Ximenez-Marroquin sent KSAT 12 News this statement regarding the incident.
“No Railroad Commission investigation report as of yet but I read “Cease & Desist Letter” to Rise Broadband dated July 26, 2024. As of this date, Rise has continued to work in violation of the agreement. The City has received more complaints from residents with sewer backup due to Rise Broadband hitting lateral lines that go into property owner’s private property.
Rise Broadband has been recklessly and illegally drilling in residential areas, right of ways, and city property of Floresville in violation of state law.
Rise Broadband & it’s subcontractors are not calling in for line locations & will not wait for a response regarding line locations which is violation of City regulations and codes. They had agreed not to work on weekends, which has not been followed. When lines are hit on weekends this results in emergency response from the City of Floresville.
The City will pursue legal recourse provided by law for Rise Broadband’s failure to Cease and Desist all work, activity, and projects performed by it, it’s parent company, affiliates, or contractors without an agreement with the City or in violation of State and local law.”
KSAT took Ximenez-Marroquin’s remarks to Rise Broadband, which responded with a statement of its own.
Rise Broadband took immediate action by requesting that its contractor suspend all operations in the Floresville region after the incident on Tuesday, July 16th, pending the outcome of the City’s investigation. Rise Broadband believes that many of the allegations raised by the City in their Cease and Desist notice are unfounded, and we will continue to cooperate fully with officials as they conduct an ongoing investigation. We eagerly await the results from the City and hope the investigation concludes quickly.
The Texas Railroad Commission’s investigation hasn’t been completed yet.
