Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2010-10-18 — IA
Operator
Midamerican Energy Company
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Propane Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$1,078,000
Incident datetime
2010-10-18 18:23
Report number
Location
IA, WOODBURY
Narrative
On october 18, 2010, at 18:23, a fire and explosion occurred at the sioux city liquid propane plant in sioux city, iowa. Two employees were isolating and venting the plant send-out piping in preparation for pipe modification. The product being vented was propane. Because of the location of the venting, propane liquid and vapor accumulated. The vapor was ignited by an electrical source in an unoccupied room causing an explosion and fire. The explosion compromised the vapor barrier between the electronic equipment and the mixer room, and fire ignited propane vapors that had accumulated in the mixer room. The building and electronic equipment sustained significant damage. The incident involved the release of propane, fire, explosion and property damage exceeding $50,000. Therefore, the incident was reportable as required by pipeline hazardous material safety administration rules 49 cfr 191.3. There were no injuries and no deaths. The on-site painting contractor employees that were working several hundred feet from the incident also evacuated the plant without injury. The local fire department responded, and police blocked the public road passing in front of the plant. There was extensive media coverage.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2010-10-18 18:23:00
Year
2010
Report Received Date
2010-11-18 00:00:00
Iyear
2010.0
Report Number
20100104.0
Supplemental Number
15138.0
Report Type
Original Final
Operator Id
30750
Name
Midamerican Energy Company
Operator Street Address
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 500
Operator City Name
Des Moines
Operator State Abbreviation
IA
Operator Postal Code
50309-2580
Local Datetime
2010-10-18 18:23:00
Location Street Address
4040 Southgate Drive
Location City Name
Sioux City
Location County Name
Woodbury
Location State Abbreviation
IA
Location Postal Code
51106
Location Latitude
42.43825
Location Longitude
-96.36933
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2010-10-18 20:20:00
Nrc Rpt Num
957336
Commodity Released Type
Propane Gas
Unintentional Release
38.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2010-10-18 18:23:00
On Site Datetime
2010-10-18 18:23:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Other
Incident Area Details
Lp-Air Plant Above Ground Piping
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Other
Pipe Type Other
Liquid Propane Plant
System Part Involved
Other
System Part Details
Propane Pipe
Installation Year
1976.0
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Propane
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Operator Error - Opened Valve.
Class Location Type
Class 4 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
1078000.0
Est Cost Emergency
2400.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
1091.0
Prpty
1081491.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
90.0
Normal Psig
90.0
Mop Psig
250.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
Yes
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Investigation Status
Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply)
Invest Schedule Ind
Yes
Invest No Control Room Ind
Yes
Invest No Controller Ind
Yes
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Num Employees Tested
2
Num Employees Failed
0
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Valve Left Or Placed In Wrong Position, But Not Resulting In An Overpressure
Operation Type
Valve Left Or Placed In Wrong Position, But Not Resulting In An Overpressure
Related Failure Follow Ind
Yes
Category Type
Other Maintenance
Operator Qualification Ind
No
Preparer Name
E***** A* D*******
Preparer Title
Manager Gas Engineering
Preparer Email
E*********@m**********.com
Preparer Telephone
712-277-7750
Preparer Fax
712-252-7360
Authorizer Name
E***** A* D*******
Authorizer Title
Manager Gas Engineering
Authorizer Telephone
712-277-7750
Authorizer Email
E*********@m**********.com
Narrative
On october 18, 2010, at 18:23, a fire and explosion occurred at the sioux city liquid propane plant in sioux city, iowa. Two employees were isolating and venting the plant send-out piping in preparation for pipe modification. The product being vented was propane. Because of the location of the venting, propane liquid and vapor accumulated. The vapor was ignited by an electrical source in an unoccupied room causing an explosion and fire. The explosion compromised the vapor barrier between the electronic equipment and the mixer room, and fire ignited propane vapors that had accumulated in the mixer room. The building and electronic equipment sustained significant damage. The incident involved the release of propane, fire, explosion and property damage exceeding $50,000. Therefore, the incident was reportable as required by pipeline hazardous material safety administration rules 49 cfr 191.3. There were no injuries and no deaths. The on-site painting contractor employees that were working several hundred feet from the incident also evacuated the plant without injury. The local fire department responded, and police blocked the public road passing in front of the plant. There was extensive media coverage.
| Occurred At | 2010-10-18 18:23:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2010 |
| Report Received Date | 2010-11-18 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2010.0 |
| Report Number | 20100104.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 15138.0 |
| Report Type | Original Final |
| Operator Id | 30750 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Midamerican Energy Company |
| Operator Street Address | 666 Grand Avenue, Suite 500 |
| Operator City Name | Des Moines |
| Operator State Abbreviation | IA |
| Operator Postal Code | 50309-2580 |
| Local Datetime | 2010-10-18 18:23:00 |
| Location Street Address | 4040 Southgate Drive |
| Location City Name | Sioux City |
| Location County Name | Woodbury |
| Location State Abbreviation | IA |
| Location Postal Code | 51106 |
| Location Latitude | 42.43825 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.36933 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2010-10-18 20:20:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 957336 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Propane Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 38.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2010-10-18 18:23:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2010-10-18 18:23:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Other |
| Incident Area Details | Lp-Air Plant Above Ground Piping |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Other |
| Pipe Type Other | Liquid Propane Plant |
| System Part Involved | Other |
| System Part Details | Propane Pipe |
| Installation Year | 1976.0 |
| Material Involved | Other |
| Material Details | Propane |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Operator Error - Opened Valve. |
| Class Location Type | Class 4 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 1078000.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 2400.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 1091.0 |
| Prpty | 1081491.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 90.0 |
| Normal Psig | 90.0 |
| Mop Psig | 250.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | Yes |
| Scada Conf Ind | Yes |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Investigation Status | Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply) |
| Invest Schedule Ind | Yes |
| Invest No Control Room Ind | Yes |
| Invest No Controller Ind | Yes |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Num Employees Tested | 2 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Valve Left Or Placed In Wrong Position, But Not Resulting In An Overpressure |
| Operation Type | Valve Left Or Placed In Wrong Position, But Not Resulting In An Overpressure |
| Related Failure Follow Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Other Maintenance |
| Operator Qualification Ind | No |
| Preparer Name | E***** A* D******* |
| Preparer Title | Manager Gas Engineering |
| Preparer Email | E*********@m**********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 712-277-7750 |
| Preparer Fax | 712-252-7360 |
| Authorizer Name | E***** A* D******* |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Gas Engineering |
| Authorizer Telephone | 712-277-7750 |
| Authorizer Email | E*********@m**********.com |
| Narrative | On october 18, 2010, at 18:23, a fire and explosion occurred at the sioux city liquid propane plant in sioux city, iowa. Two employees were isolating and venting the plant send-out piping in preparation for pipe modification. The product being vented was propane. Because of the location of the venting, propane liquid and vapor accumulated. The vapor was ignited by an electrical source in an unoccupied room causing an explosion and fire. The explosion compromised the vapor barrier between the electronic equipment and the mixer room, and fire ignited propane vapors that had accumulated in the mixer room. The building and electronic equipment sustained significant damage. The incident involved the release of propane, fire, explosion and property damage exceeding $50,000. Therefore, the incident was reportable as required by pipeline hazardous material safety administration rules 49 cfr 191.3. There were no injuries and no deaths. The on-site painting contractor employees that were working several hundred feet from the incident also evacuated the plant without injury. The local fire department responded, and police blocked the public road passing in front of the plant. There was extensive media coverage. |
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