Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2013-01-15 — AL
Operator
Huntsville Gas System
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
3 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$6,831
Incident datetime
2013-01-15 22:18
Report number
Location
AL, MADISON
Narrative
At approximatley 2218 (10:18pm cst) on january 15, 2013, huntsville utilities (hu) dispatch center received a telephone call from huntville fire department (hpd) requesting emergency response from the hu gas department at 850 washington where a structure fire was in progress. Hfd dispatcher advised that they received a report of a "boom" followed by fire. Gas was smelled in the area and our crews were urgently requested. Operator emergency responders from hu gas department arrived on site at 2230 (10:30pm cst) on january 15, 2013. Hfd and the huntsville police department (hpd) were on site and had extinguished a fire at the public housing dwelling unit at 851 unit c washington st and secured the area. Upon smelling natural gas the emergency responders called for additional help to locate the source of the apparent gas leak. Crews were called in and were successful in shutting off the supply of gas to the entire public housing project at 0230 (2:30am cst) on january 16, 2013. It was discovered that an underground steel distribution valve, 2 inch in diameter, had a cracked flange. This leak was repaired by removing the valve along with another similiar valve and replacing it with coated steel pipe. The leak was twenty feet away from the dwelling at 851 washington st. Gas service was then restored to the area at 0745 (7:45am cst) on january 16, 2013. After the leak was repaired hu gas department crews began to conduct a number of tests in the vicinty of 851 washington st. These tests included a leak survey, cathodic protection pipe to soil readings, bar hole test and a pressure test of all three gas service lines to 851 washington st., as this building was a tri-plex comprised of units a, b, and c. All three gas services held the test pressure of approximatly +125 psig with no leaks indicated. A test of the fuel line (customer piping) at unit c failed, indicating a leak inside the unit. An investigation into the cause of the incident is on going. Contributing factor(s) may have been the leak on the fuel line, the underground gas leak or some other factor. The local weather conditions at the time of the incident were a temperature of 37 degrees farenheit, the wind speed was 5 mph, no wind gusts, wind direction was 300 (generally out of the northwest). It was overcast with a light rainfall. A supplemental or supplemental plus final report will be filed as soon as new, updated and/or corrected information is known. September 8, 2016-this is a supplemental report related to this incident. Expert witnesses determined that something heavy like a vehicle ran over a valve box causing downward pressure on a 2 inch flanged rockwell figure 143 valve causing the valve to crack in a flange. Gas then migrated along a ditch line into the dwelling causing an explosion and fire.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2013-01-15 22:18:00
Year
2013
Report Received Date
2013-02-01 00:00:00
Iyear
2013.0
Report Number
20130009.0
Supplemental Number
16380.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
7685
Name
Huntsville Gas System
Operator Street Address
P.o. Box 2048
Operator City Name
Huntsville
Operator State Abbreviation
AL
Operator Postal Code
35804
Local Datetime
2013-01-15 22:18:00
Location Street Address
851 Washington Street
Location City Name
Huntsville
Location County Name
Madison
Location State Abbreviation
AL
Location Postal Code
35801-5400
Location Latitude
34.74227
Location Longitude
-86.58928
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2013-01-16 01:12:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1035819
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
8.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
Yes
Num Emp Injuries
0
Num Contr Injuries
0
Num Er Injuries
0
Num Worker Injuries
0
Num Gp Injuries
3
Injure
3
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
14.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2013-01-15 22:18:00
On Site Datetime
2013-01-15 22:30:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Inside A Building
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Municipally Owned
System Part Involved
Other
System Part Details
Customer Fuel Line
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Black Iron Pipe
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Corrosion
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
40000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
6831.0
Est Cost Emergency
352.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
37.0
Prpty
47220.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
191.0
Accident Psig
47.0
Normal Psig
48.0
Mop Psig
50.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Emergency Responder
Investigation Status
No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate)
Investigation Status Details
Controller can only monitor the operator's system via scada. Controllers work eight hour shifts so fatigue was not detemined to be a factor. A more appropriate term for these employees is "dispatchers", as that is their job title.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Cause Details
Damage By Car, Truck, Or Other Motorized Vehicle/equipment Not Engaged In Excavation
Outside Force Type
Damage By Car, Truck, Or Other Motorized Vehicle/equipment Not Engaged In Excavation
Vehicle Subtype
Third Party
Preparer Name
J***** L* B*****
Preparer Title
Gas And Water Operations Manager
Preparer Email
J************@h******.org
Preparer Telephone
256-535-1240
Preparer Fax
256-532-8346
Authorizer Name
J***** L* B*****
Authorizer Title
Gas And Water Operations Manager
Authorizer Telephone
256-535-1240
Authorizer Email
J************@h******.org
Narrative
At approximatley 2218 (10:18pm cst) on january 15, 2013, huntsville utilities (hu) dispatch center received a telephone call from huntville fire department (hpd) requesting emergency response from the hu gas department at 850 washington where a structure fire was in progress. Hfd dispatcher advised that they received a report of a "boom" followed by fire. Gas was smelled in the area and our crews were urgently requested. Operator emergency responders from hu gas department arrived on site at 2230 (10:30pm cst) on january 15, 2013. Hfd and the huntsville police department (hpd) were on site and had extinguished a fire at the public housing dwelling unit at 851 unit c washington st and secured the area. Upon smelling natural gas the emergency responders called for additional help to locate the source of the apparent gas leak. Crews were called in and were successful in shutting off the supply of gas to the entire public housing project at 0230 (2:30am cst) on january 16, 2013. It was discovered that an underground steel distribution valve, 2 inch in diameter, had a cracked flange. This leak was repaired by removing the valve along with another similiar valve and replacing it with coated steel pipe. The leak was twenty feet away from the dwelling at 851 washington st. Gas service was then restored to the area at 0745 (7:45am cst) on january 16, 2013. After the leak was repaired hu gas department crews began to conduct a number of tests in the vicinty of 851 washington st. These tests included a leak survey, cathodic protection pipe to soil readings, bar hole test and a pressure test of all three gas service lines to 851 washington st., as this building was a tri-plex comprised of units a, b, and c. All three gas services held the test pressure of approximatly +125 psig with no leaks indicated. A test of the fuel line (customer piping) at unit c failed, indicating a leak inside the unit. An investigation into the cause of the incident is on going. Contributing factor(s) may have been the leak on the fuel line, the underground gas leak or some other factor. The local weather conditions at the time of the incident were a temperature of 37 degrees farenheit, the wind speed was 5 mph, no wind gusts, wind direction was 300 (generally out of the northwest). It was overcast with a light rainfall. A supplemental or supplemental plus final report will be filed as soon as new, updated and/or corrected information is known. September 8, 2016-this is a supplemental report related to this incident. Expert witnesses determined that something heavy like a vehicle ran over a valve box causing downward pressure on a 2 inch flanged rockwell figure 143 valve causing the valve to crack in a flange. Gas then migrated along a ditch line into the dwelling causing an explosion and fire.
| Occurred At | 2013-01-15 22:18:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
| Report Received Date | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2013.0 |
| Report Number | 20130009.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 16380.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 7685 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Huntsville Gas System |
| Operator Street Address | P.o. Box 2048 |
| Operator City Name | Huntsville |
| Operator State Abbreviation | AL |
| Operator Postal Code | 35804 |
| Local Datetime | 2013-01-15 22:18:00 |
| Location Street Address | 851 Washington Street |
| Location City Name | Huntsville |
| Location County Name | Madison |
| Location State Abbreviation | AL |
| Location Postal Code | 35801-5400 |
| Location Latitude | 34.74227 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -86.58928 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2013-01-16 01:12:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1035819 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 8.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Injuries | 0 |
| Num Contr Injuries | 0 |
| Num Er Injuries | 0 |
| Num Worker Injuries | 0 |
| Num Gp Injuries | 3 |
| Injure | 3 |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 14.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2013-01-15 22:18:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2013-01-15 22:30:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Private Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Inside A Building |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Municipally Owned |
| System Part Involved | Other |
| System Part Details | Customer Fuel Line |
| Material Involved | Other |
| Material Details | Black Iron Pipe |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Corrosion |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 40000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 6831.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 352.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 37.0 |
| Prpty | 47220.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 191.0 |
| Accident Psig | 47.0 |
| Normal Psig | 48.0 |
| Mop Psig | 50.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Emergency Responder |
| Investigation Status | No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate) |
| Investigation Status Details | Controller can only monitor the operator's system via scada. Controllers work eight hour shifts so fatigue was not detemined to be a factor. A more appropriate term for these employees is "dispatchers", as that is their job title. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Other Outside Force Damage |
| Cause Details | Damage By Car, Truck, Or Other Motorized Vehicle/equipment Not Engaged In Excavation |
| Outside Force Type | Damage By Car, Truck, Or Other Motorized Vehicle/equipment Not Engaged In Excavation |
| Vehicle Subtype | Third Party |
| Preparer Name | J***** L* B***** |
| Preparer Title | Gas And Water Operations Manager |
| Preparer Email | J************@h******.org |
| Preparer Telephone | 256-535-1240 |
| Preparer Fax | 256-532-8346 |
| Authorizer Name | J***** L* B***** |
| Authorizer Title | Gas And Water Operations Manager |
| Authorizer Telephone | 256-535-1240 |
| Authorizer Email | J************@h******.org |
| Narrative | At approximatley 2218 (10:18pm cst) on january 15, 2013, huntsville utilities (hu) dispatch center received a telephone call from huntville fire department (hpd) requesting emergency response from the hu gas department at 850 washington where a structure fire was in progress. Hfd dispatcher advised that they received a report of a "boom" followed by fire. Gas was smelled in the area and our crews were urgently requested. Operator emergency responders from hu gas department arrived on site at 2230 (10:30pm cst) on january 15, 2013. Hfd and the huntsville police department (hpd) were on site and had extinguished a fire at the public housing dwelling unit at 851 unit c washington st and secured the area. Upon smelling natural gas the emergency responders called for additional help to locate the source of the apparent gas leak. Crews were called in and were successful in shutting off the supply of gas to the entire public housing project at 0230 (2:30am cst) on january 16, 2013. It was discovered that an underground steel distribution valve, 2 inch in diameter, had a cracked flange. This leak was repaired by removing the valve along with another similiar valve and replacing it with coated steel pipe. The leak was twenty feet away from the dwelling at 851 washington st. Gas service was then restored to the area at 0745 (7:45am cst) on january 16, 2013. After the leak was repaired hu gas department crews began to conduct a number of tests in the vicinty of 851 washington st. These tests included a leak survey, cathodic protection pipe to soil readings, bar hole test and a pressure test of all three gas service lines to 851 washington st., as this building was a tri-plex comprised of units a, b, and c. All three gas services held the test pressure of approximatly +125 psig with no leaks indicated. A test of the fuel line (customer piping) at unit c failed, indicating a leak inside the unit. An investigation into the cause of the incident is on going. Contributing factor(s) may have been the leak on the fuel line, the underground gas leak or some other factor. The local weather conditions at the time of the incident were a temperature of 37 degrees farenheit, the wind speed was 5 mph, no wind gusts, wind direction was 300 (generally out of the northwest). It was overcast with a light rainfall. A supplemental or supplemental plus final report will be filed as soon as new, updated and/or corrected information is known. September 8, 2016-this is a supplemental report related to this incident. Expert witnesses determined that something heavy like a vehicle ran over a valve box causing downward pressure on a 2 inch flanged rockwell figure 143 valve causing the valve to crack in a flange. Gas then migrated along a ditch line into the dwelling causing an explosion and fire. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA