GD incident on 2011-10-04 — MI

Operator
Michigan Consolidated Gas Co (Michcon)
Cause
Corrosion Failure
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
1 fatality 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$7,500
Incident datetime
2011-10-04 13:00
Report number
Location
MI, WAYNE
Narrative
On october 4, 2011, a gas leak repair order for the address of 456 moran in grosse pointe farms, wayne county, mi was assigned to a two person crew. The crew consisted of a distribution general fitter and a service technician. The crew excavated and exposed a 6-inch cast iron distribution main operating at 5 psig. The distribution general fitter, while wearing a supplied air-respirator, prepared the cast iron main for installation of a 6-inch by 9-inches in length pipe repair clamp. The distribution general fitter installed the clamp and tightened the bolts to stop the leak. The distribution general fitter removed the supplied air-respirator for unknown reasons. Thereafter, he proceeded to finish tightening the bolts and soap check the pipe to verify that the leak was stopped. At that time, the service technician left the top of the excavation and went to the truck to retrieve coating for the repair clamp when he heard the sound of gas blowing from the excavation. The service technician immediately returned to the excavation and found the distribution general fitter kneeling face down over the gas main and unresponsive to verbal commands. The service technician attempted to retrieve the distribution general fitter from the excavation but was unable to do so and called 911. Grosse pointe farms police and ems personnel responded to the scene and pulled the distribution general fitter from the excavation; he was transferred to st. John's hospital in detroit, mi where he was pronounced dead. A second repair crew was called in to repair the gas main following the incident and installed a 6-inch by 12-inches in length repair clamp adjacent to the first repair clamp; however the clamp further crushed the corroded/weakened pipe. Both repair clamps were removed and a 6-inch by 30-inches in length repair clamp was installed to repair the leak. On november 1, 2011, the pipe was removed and recovered for examination and a metallurgical analysis by a third party laboratory. The analysis concluded that localized graphitic corrosion weakened the fractured pieces of pipe that were crushed when tightening the repair clamps.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2011-10-04 13:00:00
Year
2011
Report Received Date
2011-11-03 00:00:00
Iyear
2011.0
Report Number
20110377.0
Supplemental Number
15540.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Michigan Consolidated Gas Co (Michcon)
Operator Street Address
1 Energy Plaza
Operator City Name
Detroit
Operator State Abbreviation
MI
Operator Postal Code
48226
Local Datetime
2011-10-04 13:00:00
Location Street Address
456 Moran
Location City Name
Grosse Pointe Farms
Location County Name
Wayne
Location State Abbreviation
MI
Location Postal Code
48236
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2011-10-04 15:08:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Fatality Ind
Yes
Num Emp Fatalities
1
Num Contr Fatalities
0
Num Er Fatalities
0
Num Worker Fatalities
0
Num Gp Fatalities
0
Fatal
1
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2011-10-04 13:00:00
On Site Datetime
2011-10-04 13:00:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Public Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
54.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
1928.0
Pipe Diameter
6.0
Pipe Specification
Unknown
Pipe Manufacturer
Unknown
Material Involved
Cast/wrought Iron
Release Type
Rupture
Rupture Orient
Other
Rupture Details
2 Holes In Bottom Of Cast Iron Main Approximately The Size Of A Softball.
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
7500.0
Est Cost Emergency
0.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
200.0
Prpty
7700.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
5.0
Normal Psig
5.0
Mop Psig
5.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Investigation Status
No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Num Employees Tested
2
Num Employees Failed
0
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Corrosion Failure
Cause Details
External Corrosion
Internal External
External Corrosion
Visual Exam Results
Other
Visual Exam Details
Graphitic Localized Corrosion
Other Corrosion Ind
Yes
Corrosion Type Details
Graphitization
Metallurgical Basis Ind
Yes
Underground Location
Yes
Under Cathodic Protection Ind
No
Shielding Evident
No
Cathodic Survey Type
No
Prior Damage
No
Coating Type
None
Cor Hydrotest Leak Survey Date
2011-01-18 00:00:00
Cor Hydrotest Conducted Ind
No
Preparer Name
R***** F*********
Preparer Title
Manager - Codes And Standards
Preparer Email
F**********@d********.com
Preparer Telephone
313-389-7755
Preparer Fax
313-389-7757
Authorizer Name
R***** F*********
Authorizer Title
Manager - Codes And Standards
Authorizer Telephone
313-389-7755
Authorizer Email
F**********@d********.com
Narrative
On october 4, 2011, a gas leak repair order for the address of 456 moran in grosse pointe farms, wayne county, mi was assigned to a two person crew. The crew consisted of a distribution general fitter and a service technician. The crew excavated and exposed a 6-inch cast iron distribution main operating at 5 psig. The distribution general fitter, while wearing a supplied air-respirator, prepared the cast iron main for installation of a 6-inch by 9-inches in length pipe repair clamp. The distribution general fitter installed the clamp and tightened the bolts to stop the leak. The distribution general fitter removed the supplied air-respirator for unknown reasons. Thereafter, he proceeded to finish tightening the bolts and soap check the pipe to verify that the leak was stopped. At that time, the service technician left the top of the excavation and went to the truck to retrieve coating for the repair clamp when he heard the sound of gas blowing from the excavation. The service technician immediately returned to the excavation and found the distribution general fitter kneeling face down over the gas main and unresponsive to verbal commands. The service technician attempted to retrieve the distribution general fitter from the excavation but was unable to do so and called 911. Grosse pointe farms police and ems personnel responded to the scene and pulled the distribution general fitter from the excavation; he was transferred to st. John's hospital in detroit, mi where he was pronounced dead. A second repair crew was called in to repair the gas main following the incident and installed a 6-inch by 12-inches in length repair clamp adjacent to the first repair clamp; however the clamp further crushed the corroded/weakened pipe. Both repair clamps were removed and a 6-inch by 30-inches in length repair clamp was installed to repair the leak. On november 1, 2011, the pipe was removed and recovered for examination and a metallurgical analysis by a third party laboratory. The analysis concluded that localized graphitic corrosion weakened the fractured pieces of pipe that were crushed when tightening the repair clamps.
Occurred At 2011-10-04 13:00:00
Year 2011
Report Received Date 2011-11-03 00:00:00
Iyear 2011.0
Report Number 20110377.0
Supplemental Number 15540.0
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 12408 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Michigan Consolidated Gas Co (Michcon)
Operator Street Address 1 Energy Plaza
Operator City Name Detroit
Operator State Abbreviation MI
Operator Postal Code 48226
Local Datetime 2011-10-04 13:00:00
Location Street Address 456 Moran
Location City Name Grosse Pointe Farms
Location County Name Wayne
Location State Abbreviation MI
Location Postal Code 48236
Location Latitude 42.407864 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -82.91242 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2011-10-04 15:08:00
Nrc Rpt Num 991604 NRC Report How to search
Commodity Released Type Natural Gas
Fatality Ind Yes
Num Emp Fatalities 1
Num Contr Fatalities 0
Num Er Fatalities 0
Num Worker Fatalities 0
Num Gp Fatalities 0
Fatal 1
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Ignite Ind No
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 0.0
Incident Identified Datetime 2011-10-04 13:00:00
On Site Datetime 2011-10-04 13:00:00
Federal No
Location Type Public Property
Incident Area Type Underground
Incident Area Subtype Under Soil
Depth Of Cover 54.0
Crossing No
Pipe Facility Type Privately Owned
System Part Involved Main
Installation Year 1928.0
Pipe Diameter 6.0
Pipe Specification Unknown
Pipe Manufacturer Unknown
Material Involved Cast/wrought Iron
Release Type Rupture
Rupture Orient Other
Rupture Details 2 Holes In Bottom Of Cast Iron Main Approximately The Size Of A Softball.
Class Location Type Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid 0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage 7500.0
Est Cost Emergency 0.0
Est Cost Other 0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release 200.0
Prpty 7700.0
Commercial Affected 0.0
Industrial Affected 0.0
Residences Affected 0.0
Accident Psig 5.0
Normal Psig 5.0
Mop Psig 5.0
Accident Pressure Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind No
Accident Identifier Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type Operator Employee
Investigation Status No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind Yes
Num Employees Tested 2
Num Employees Failed 0
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Corrosion Failure
Cause Details External Corrosion
Internal External External Corrosion
Visual Exam Results Other
Visual Exam Details Graphitic Localized Corrosion
Other Corrosion Ind Yes
Corrosion Type Details Graphitization
Metallurgical Basis Ind Yes
Underground Location Yes
Under Cathodic Protection Ind No
Shielding Evident No
Cathodic Survey Type No
Prior Damage No
Coating Type None
Cor Hydrotest Leak Survey Date 2011-01-18 00:00:00
Cor Hydrotest Conducted Ind No
Preparer Name R***** F*********
Preparer Title Manager - Codes And Standards
Preparer Email F**********@d********.com
Preparer Telephone 313-389-7755
Preparer Fax 313-389-7757
Authorizer Name R***** F*********
Authorizer Title Manager - Codes And Standards
Authorizer Telephone 313-389-7755
Authorizer Email F**********@d********.com
Narrative On october 4, 2011, a gas leak repair order for the address of 456 moran in grosse pointe farms, wayne county, mi was assigned to a two person crew. The crew consisted of a distribution general fitter and a service technician. The crew excavated and exposed a 6-inch cast iron distribution main operating at 5 psig. The distribution general fitter, while wearing a supplied air-respirator, prepared the cast iron main for installation of a 6-inch by 9-inches in length pipe repair clamp. The distribution general fitter installed the clamp and tightened the bolts to stop the leak. The distribution general fitter removed the supplied air-respirator for unknown reasons. Thereafter, he proceeded to finish tightening the bolts and soap check the pipe to verify that the leak was stopped. At that time, the service technician left the top of the excavation and went to the truck to retrieve coating for the repair clamp when he heard the sound of gas blowing from the excavation. The service technician immediately returned to the excavation and found the distribution general fitter kneeling face down over the gas main and unresponsive to verbal commands. The service technician attempted to retrieve the distribution general fitter from the excavation but was unable to do so and called 911. Grosse pointe farms police and ems personnel responded to the scene and pulled the distribution general fitter from the excavation; he was transferred to st. John's hospital in detroit, mi where he was pronounced dead. A second repair crew was called in to repair the gas main following the incident and installed a 6-inch by 12-inches in length repair clamp adjacent to the first repair clamp; however the clamp further crushed the corroded/weakened pipe. Both repair clamps were removed and a 6-inch by 30-inches in length repair clamp was installed to repair the leak. On november 1, 2011, the pipe was removed and recovered for examination and a metallurgical analysis by a third party laboratory. The analysis concluded that localized graphitic corrosion weakened the fractured pieces of pipe that were crushed when tightening the repair clamps.

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