In January 2001 gas leaked from a storage cavern in salt beds and collected under the town of Hutchison (polulation 40,000), 7 miles away. Gas erupted across the town and exploded destroying property and killing two residents. A previous leak in the mid 1980's in a less populated area nearby resulted in a whole community of 30 families having to be permanently removed.

The communites of Hambleton, Stalmine, Preesall and Knott End, Fleetwood, Cleveleys, Thornton, Carleton and the northern half of Poulton-le-Fylde, all lie within 3 miles of the proposed Canatxx caverns with a combined population of 70,000. Whilst Kansas state law would not permit the construction of these caverns within 3 miles of populated areas no such law exists in the UK.

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