GD incident on 2012-10-30 — NJ

Operator
Elizabethtown Gas Co
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$2,500
Incident datetime
2012-10-30 00:47
Report number
Location
NJ, MIDDLESEX
Narrative
Hurricane sandy coastal storm surge pushed a 3 foot high flood thrust against the house upper foundation wall facing the bay. This action broke apart the exposed portion of the wall and drove the shattered cinder blocks, along with the attached outside meter set, down into the basement. The pulled and twisted service pipe separated leaving an open end blowing into the basement. The gas then ignited resulting in the gas explosion and fire. The source of the ignition could not be identified. The high hurricane winds and floods in place at that time accelerated the blaze and hampered emergency response. Thus, the fire spread and destroyed two additional houses and caused heat damage to a fourth house (13, 15 and 17 noe street). These homes were not occupied at the time of the incident. The occupants had been ordered to evacuate in anticipation of coastal storm flooding.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2012-10-30 00:47:00
Year
2012
Report Received Date
2012-11-27 00:00:00
Iyear
2012.0
Report Number
20120092.0
Supplemental Number
15546.0
Report Type
Original Final
Operator Id
Name
Elizabethtown Gas Co
Operator Street Address
520 Green Lane
Operator City Name
Union
Operator State Abbreviation
NJ
Operator Postal Code
07083
Local Datetime
2012-10-30 00:40:00
Location Street Address
11 Noe St
Location City Name
Carteret
Location County Name
Middlesex
Location State Abbreviation
NJ
Location Postal Code
07008-2905
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2012-10-30 04:50:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
26.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2012-10-30 00:47:00
On Site Datetime
2012-10-30 03:17:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Transition Area
Incident Area Subtype
Other
Incident Area Details
See Part H, Narrative Description
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
Outside Meter/regulator Set
Installation Year
1966.0
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Unknown
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Connection Failure
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
1000000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
2500.0
Est Cost Emergency
7989.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
92.0
Prpty
1010581.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
3.0
Accident Psig
23.0
Normal Psig
23.0
Mop Psig
25.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Other
Accident Details
Notification From 911 Operator
Investigation Status
No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Cause Details
Heavy Rains/floods
Natural Force Type
Heavy Rains/floods
Heavy Rains Subtype
Other
Nf Other Details
Hurricane Sandy Coastal Storm Surge Pushed A 3 Foot High Flood Thrust Against The House Upper Foundation Wall Facing The Bay. This Action Broke Apart The Exposed Portion Of The Wall And Drove The Shattered Cinder Blocks, Along With The Attached Outside Meter Set Down Into The Basement. The Pulled And Twisted Service Pipe Separated Resulting In The Open End Blowing Into The Basement.
Nf Extreme Weather Ind
Yes
Nf Hurricane Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
P***** S********
Preparer Title
Compliance Engineer
Preparer Email
P*******@a***********.com
Preparer Telephone
908 662 8306
Preparer Fax
908 351 5127
Authorizer Name
R****** L***
Authorizer Title
Director Of Compliance
Authorizer Telephone
404 584 3552
Authorizer Email
R****@a***********.com
Narrative
Hurricane sandy coastal storm surge pushed a 3 foot high flood thrust against the house upper foundation wall facing the bay. This action broke apart the exposed portion of the wall and drove the shattered cinder blocks, along with the attached outside meter set, down into the basement. The pulled and twisted service pipe separated leaving an open end blowing into the basement. The gas then ignited resulting in the gas explosion and fire. The source of the ignition could not be identified. The high hurricane winds and floods in place at that time accelerated the blaze and hampered emergency response. Thus, the fire spread and destroyed two additional houses and caused heat damage to a fourth house (13, 15 and 17 noe street). These homes were not occupied at the time of the incident. The occupants had been ordered to evacuate in anticipation of coastal storm flooding.
Occurred At 2012-10-30 00:47:00
Year 2012
Report Received Date 2012-11-27 00:00:00
Iyear 2012.0
Report Number 20120092.0
Supplemental Number 15546.0
Report Type Original Final
Operator Id 4350 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Elizabethtown Gas Co
Operator Street Address 520 Green Lane
Operator City Name Union
Operator State Abbreviation NJ
Operator Postal Code 07083
Local Datetime 2012-10-30 00:40:00
Location Street Address 11 Noe St
Location City Name Carteret
Location County Name Middlesex
Location State Abbreviation NJ
Location Postal Code 07008-2905
Location Latitude 40.58025 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -74.21993 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2012-10-30 04:50:00
Nrc Rpt Num 1028698 NRC Report How to search
Commodity Released Type Natural Gas
Unintentional Release 26.0
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Ignite Ind Yes
Explode Ind Yes
Num Pub Evacuated 0.0
Incident Identified Datetime 2012-10-30 00:47:00
On Site Datetime 2012-10-30 03:17:00
Federal No
Location Type Private Property
Incident Area Type Transition Area
Incident Area Subtype Other
Incident Area Details See Part H, Narrative Description
Crossing No
Pipe Facility Type Privately Owned
System Part Involved Outside Meter/regulator Set
Installation Year 1966.0
Material Involved Steel
Steel Seam Type Other
Steel Seam Type Details Unknown
Release Type Leak
Leak Type Connection Failure
Class Location Type Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid 1000000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage 2500.0
Est Cost Emergency 7989.0
Est Cost Other 0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release 92.0
Prpty 1010581.0
Commercial Affected 0.0
Industrial Affected 0.0
Residences Affected 3.0
Accident Psig 23.0
Normal Psig 23.0
Mop Psig 25.0
Accident Pressure Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind No
Accident Identifier Other
Accident Details Notification From 911 Operator
Investigation Status No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind No
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Natural Force Damage
Cause Details Heavy Rains/floods
Natural Force Type Heavy Rains/floods
Heavy Rains Subtype Other
Nf Other Details Hurricane Sandy Coastal Storm Surge Pushed A 3 Foot High Flood Thrust Against The House Upper Foundation Wall Facing The Bay. This Action Broke Apart The Exposed Portion Of The Wall And Drove The Shattered Cinder Blocks, Along With The Attached Outside Meter Set Down Into The Basement. The Pulled And Twisted Service Pipe Separated Resulting In The Open End Blowing Into The Basement.
Nf Extreme Weather Ind Yes
Nf Hurricane Ind Yes
Preparer Name P***** S********
Preparer Title Compliance Engineer
Preparer Email P*******@a***********.com
Preparer Telephone 908 662 8306
Preparer Fax 908 351 5127
Authorizer Name R****** L***
Authorizer Title Director Of Compliance
Authorizer Telephone 404 584 3552
Authorizer Email R****@a***********.com
Narrative Hurricane sandy coastal storm surge pushed a 3 foot high flood thrust against the house upper foundation wall facing the bay. This action broke apart the exposed portion of the wall and drove the shattered cinder blocks, along with the attached outside meter set, down into the basement. The pulled and twisted service pipe separated leaving an open end blowing into the basement. The gas then ignited resulting in the gas explosion and fire. The source of the ignition could not be identified. The high hurricane winds and floods in place at that time accelerated the blaze and hampered emergency response. Thus, the fire spread and destroyed two additional houses and caused heat damage to a fourth house (13, 15 and 17 noe street). These homes were not occupied at the time of the incident. The occupants had been ordered to evacuate in anticipation of coastal storm flooding.

All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA