As an alternative though, the company also failed at handling that the gas leak started. They could have had people all over the place guiding people out and aw

As an alternative though, the company also failed at handling that the gas leak started. They could have had people all over the place guiding people out and away from the leak safely, and keeping the public away while the leak is fixed. Or, they could buy sufficient buffer land around the pipeline such that the gas leak will be found and stopped before it could explode down the road