Atmos Promises Long-overdue Answers After Deadly Gas Blast and Shaken Public Trust

In journalism, we often talk about the public's right to know. In the aftermath of a deadly natural gas explosion in Dallas, it's about residents' need to know.Whatever the problems that exist within Atmos Energy's pipeline system, getting the facts out as quickly as possible is a far better strategy than leaving the current information void that allows imaginations to run wild.Yet more than two weeks have passed and the company still has provided little information. In a promising development Wednesday, when contacted about this editorial, Atmos has offered to sit down with us next week and answer questions.That meeting can't come soon enough given that details are dribbling out that raise new questions:Company emails obtained Friday by The Dallas Morning News show that the evening before a house blew up in northwest Dallas, killing a 12-year-old girl, Atmos crews were investigating and repairing gas leaks directly behind her home.  Continue reading...