Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2013-06-04 — NY
Operator
Orange & Rockland Utility Inc
Cause
Excavation Issue
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
8 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2013-06-04 11:55
Report number
Location
NY, ROCKLAND
Narrative
Nyack college is a campus comprised of multiple buildings. Orange & rockland utilities provides natural gas and electric services to a number of the buildings including 177 south highland avenue known as sky island lodge and 154 south highland avenue known as bowman gymnasium. On tuesday, june 4, 2013 at approxiamately 1155 the gas emergency response center (gerc) received a call from rockland county fire control of a gas explosion at the sky island lodge. Gerc immediately dispatched all available units. The first two responders arrived at 1205 and 1206 respectively. A strong odor of gas was present in the air and gas vapors could be seen coming from the sewer clean out located along the curbline of 177 south highland avenue, the sky island lodge. The o&r servicemen immediately began a leak investigation. High concentrations of gas were detected in the outdoor sewer clean-outs, catch basin and sewer manhole. There were no gas readings in the test points taken in the earth. Covers on the sewer clean outs and manholes were removed allowing these structures to vent. At 1211, a 7% gas-in-air reading was recorded in atmoshere inside the damaged building at 177 south highland. The service to this building was immediately turned off and isolated. The electric control center was contacted to de-energize the area at 1234. 258 were affected. Gas main valves were identified and closed to isolate the area affecting 33 customers. Upon investigation of the incident, it was discovered that a maintenance worker contracted by nyack college was performing some grading of the property behind 154 south highland, the bowmaan gym the morning of the explosion. This worker, using a backhoe, pulled on the 2" steel gas service for the bowman gym causing it to pull from a connecting coupling causing gas to leak. The gas then migrated through a storm drain into the sewer system that was connected to the sky island lodge. An uncapped, open sewer trap was discovered in the basement of the sky island lodge. This was deemed the point of entry into the building for the gas. The explosion occurred shortly thereafter.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2013-06-04 11:55:00
Year
2013
Report Received Date
2013-07-03 00:00:00
Iyear
2013.0
Report Number
20130082.0
Supplemental Number
16720.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
14330
Name
Orange & Rockland Utility Inc
Operator Street Address
One Blue Hill Plaza
Operator City Name
Pearl River
Operator State Abbreviation
NY
Operator Postal Code
10965
Local Datetime
2013-06-04 11:55:00
Location Street Address
177 South Highland Avenue
Location City Name
Nyack
Location County Name
Rockland
Location State Abbreviation
NY
Location Postal Code
10960
Location Latitude
41.087078
Location Longitude
-73.931658
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2013-06-04 14:03:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1049258
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
0.1
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
Yes
Num Emp Injuries
0
Num Contr Injuries
0
Num Er Injuries
1
Num Worker Injuries
0
Num Gp Injuries
7
Injure
8
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2013-06-04 11:55:00
On Site Datetime
2013-06-04 12:05:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Inside A Building
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
Service
Installation Year
1969.0
Pipe Diameter
2.0
Pipe Specification
Unknown
Pipe Manufacturer
Unknown
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Unknown
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Other
Leak Type Other
Pipe Pulled From Coupling
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0.0
Est Cost Emergency
75000.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Prpty
75000.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
33.0
Accident Psig
60.0
Normal Psig
60.0
Mop Psig
80.0
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
The incident was caused by contractor damage to pipeline.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Excavation Damage
Cause Details
Excavation Damage By Third Party
Ex Party Type
Excavation Damage By Third Party
Prior Notification Ind
No
Notify Cga Dirt
No
Private Row Ind
Yes
Private Subtype
Private Business
Excavator Type
Contractor
Excavator Equipment
Backhoe/trackhoe
Work Performed
Grading
One Call Notified Ind
No
Locator Type
Utility Owner
Visible Marks
No
Service Interruption
Yes
Service Interruption Hours
6.0
Root Cause Category
Excavation Issue
Root Cause Type
Improper Backfilling Practices
Preparer Name
A**** S*****
Preparer Title
Senior Engineer
Preparer Email
S******@o**.com
Preparer Telephone
845-577-3024
Authorizer Name
G*** F****
Authorizer Title
Principal Engineer
Authorizer Telephone
845-577-3537
Authorizer Email
F*****@o**.com
Narrative
Nyack college is a campus comprised of multiple buildings. Orange & rockland utilities provides natural gas and electric services to a number of the buildings including 177 south highland avenue known as sky island lodge and 154 south highland avenue known as bowman gymnasium. On tuesday, june 4, 2013 at approxiamately 1155 the gas emergency response center (gerc) received a call from rockland county fire control of a gas explosion at the sky island lodge. Gerc immediately dispatched all available units. The first two responders arrived at 1205 and 1206 respectively. A strong odor of gas was present in the air and gas vapors could be seen coming from the sewer clean out located along the curbline of 177 south highland avenue, the sky island lodge. The o&r servicemen immediately began a leak investigation. High concentrations of gas were detected in the outdoor sewer clean-outs, catch basin and sewer manhole. There were no gas readings in the test points taken in the earth. Covers on the sewer clean outs and manholes were removed allowing these structures to vent. At 1211, a 7% gas-in-air reading was recorded in atmoshere inside the damaged building at 177 south highland. The service to this building was immediately turned off and isolated. The electric control center was contacted to de-energize the area at 1234. 258 were affected. Gas main valves were identified and closed to isolate the area affecting 33 customers. Upon investigation of the incident, it was discovered that a maintenance worker contracted by nyack college was performing some grading of the property behind 154 south highland, the bowmaan gym the morning of the explosion. This worker, using a backhoe, pulled on the 2" steel gas service for the bowman gym causing it to pull from a connecting coupling causing gas to leak. The gas then migrated through a storm drain into the sewer system that was connected to the sky island lodge. An uncapped, open sewer trap was discovered in the basement of the sky island lodge. This was deemed the point of entry into the building for the gas. The explosion occurred shortly thereafter.
| Occurred At | 2013-06-04 11:55:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
| Report Received Date | 2013-07-03 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2013.0 |
| Report Number | 20130082.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 16720.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 14330 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Orange & Rockland Utility Inc |
| Operator Street Address | One Blue Hill Plaza |
| Operator City Name | Pearl River |
| Operator State Abbreviation | NY |
| Operator Postal Code | 10965 |
| Local Datetime | 2013-06-04 11:55:00 |
| Location Street Address | 177 South Highland Avenue |
| Location City Name | Nyack |
| Location County Name | Rockland |
| Location State Abbreviation | NY |
| Location Postal Code | 10960 |
| Location Latitude | 41.087078 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -73.931658 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2013-06-04 14:03:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1049258 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 0.1 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Injuries | 0 |
| Num Contr Injuries | 0 |
| Num Er Injuries | 1 |
| Num Worker Injuries | 0 |
| Num Gp Injuries | 7 |
| Injure | 8 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2013-06-04 11:55:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2013-06-04 12:05:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Private Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Inside A Building |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Privately Owned |
| System Part Involved | Service |
| Installation Year | 1969.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 2.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Unknown |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Unknown |
| Material Involved | Steel |
| Steel Seam Type | Other |
| Steel Seam Type Details | Unknown |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Other |
| Leak Type Other | Pipe Pulled From Coupling |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 75000.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 75000.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 33.0 |
| Accident Psig | 60.0 |
| Normal Psig | 60.0 |
| Mop Psig | 80.0 |
| 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 | The incident was caused by contractor damage to pipeline. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Excavation Damage |
| Cause Details | Excavation Damage By Third Party |
| Ex Party Type | Excavation Damage By Third Party |
| Prior Notification Ind | No |
| Notify Cga Dirt | No |
| Private Row Ind | Yes |
| Private Subtype | Private Business |
| Excavator Type | Contractor |
| Excavator Equipment | Backhoe/trackhoe |
| Work Performed | Grading |
| One Call Notified Ind | No |
| Locator Type | Utility Owner |
| Visible Marks | No |
| Service Interruption | Yes |
| Service Interruption Hours | 6.0 |
| Root Cause Category | Excavation Issue |
| Root Cause Type | Improper Backfilling Practices |
| Preparer Name | A**** S***** |
| Preparer Title | Senior Engineer |
| Preparer Email | S******@o**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 845-577-3024 |
| Authorizer Name | G*** F**** |
| Authorizer Title | Principal Engineer |
| Authorizer Telephone | 845-577-3537 |
| Authorizer Email | F*****@o**.com |
| Narrative | Nyack college is a campus comprised of multiple buildings. Orange & rockland utilities provides natural gas and electric services to a number of the buildings including 177 south highland avenue known as sky island lodge and 154 south highland avenue known as bowman gymnasium. On tuesday, june 4, 2013 at approxiamately 1155 the gas emergency response center (gerc) received a call from rockland county fire control of a gas explosion at the sky island lodge. Gerc immediately dispatched all available units. The first two responders arrived at 1205 and 1206 respectively. A strong odor of gas was present in the air and gas vapors could be seen coming from the sewer clean out located along the curbline of 177 south highland avenue, the sky island lodge. The o&r servicemen immediately began a leak investigation. High concentrations of gas were detected in the outdoor sewer clean-outs, catch basin and sewer manhole. There were no gas readings in the test points taken in the earth. Covers on the sewer clean outs and manholes were removed allowing these structures to vent. At 1211, a 7% gas-in-air reading was recorded in atmoshere inside the damaged building at 177 south highland. The service to this building was immediately turned off and isolated. The electric control center was contacted to de-energize the area at 1234. 258 were affected. Gas main valves were identified and closed to isolate the area affecting 33 customers. Upon investigation of the incident, it was discovered that a maintenance worker contracted by nyack college was performing some grading of the property behind 154 south highland, the bowmaan gym the morning of the explosion. This worker, using a backhoe, pulled on the 2" steel gas service for the bowman gym causing it to pull from a connecting coupling causing gas to leak. The gas then migrated through a storm drain into the sewer system that was connected to the sky island lodge. An uncapped, open sewer trap was discovered in the basement of the sky island lodge. This was deemed the point of entry into the building for the gas. The explosion occurred shortly thereafter. |
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