Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2013-07-30 — MI
Operator
Consumers Energy Co
Cause
Excavation Issue
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
2 fatalities
1 injury
Property damage (nominal)
$1,200
Incident datetime
2013-07-30 13:45
Report number
Location
MI, GENESEE
Narrative
An excavator was digging with a backhoe at the northeast corner of the house at 3116 vienna road in clio, michigan on july 30, 2013 when the machine's bucket pulled and damaged the 1-1/8" plastic medium pressure service to the home. The service had been staked properly prior to the excavation, but the damaging party failed to hand expose the facility during excavation. The customer at the home notified consumers energy of the damage at approximately 13:08 hours of the damage, indicating that odor was in the air and that hissing could be heard. Consumers energy's first responder arrived at the scene at 13:41, briefly assessed the excavation area and the damaged service, then returned to his vehicle to notify dispatch and call for a gas distribution crew. After calling dispatch, the first responder exited his truck, and at that time the house exploded (approximately 13:45). The explosion resulted in the death of two customers and the hospitalization of a third, all of whom were in the home at the time of the explosion. Follow-up investigation revealed that the backhoe bucket punctured the service, the damage occurring approximately 8 feet from the riser. Additionally, investigators believe the hooking and lifting motion separated the service from the riser at a fuse on a reducer connecting the 1-1/8" service to the 5/8" riser. Additionally, follow-up investigation has identified two possible paths of migration from the damaged facility to the home: 1.) a crawl space vent, directly beneath the gas meter location; and/or 2.) the foundation of the home, consisting of large railroad stones (4' wide by 3' deep) and potentially more porous than other foundation materials. The crawl space beneath the home had a dirt floor. The source of ingition is unknown.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2013-07-30 13:45:00
Year
2013
Report Received Date
2013-08-28 00:00:00
Iyear
2013.0
Report Number
20130096.0
Supplemental Number
15908.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
2748
Name
Consumers Energy Co
Operator Street Address
One Energy Plaza
Operator City Name
Jackson
Operator State Abbreviation
MI
Operator Postal Code
49201
Local Datetime
2013-07-30 13:45:00
Location Street Address
3116 E. Vienna Road
Location City Name
Clio
Location County Name
Genesee
Location State Abbreviation
MI
Location Postal Code
48420-9133
Location Latitude
43.177701
Location Longitude
-83.654776
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2013-07-30 15:54:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1055574
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
17.0
Fatality Ind
Yes
Num Emp Fatalities
0
Num Contr Fatalities
0
Num Er Fatalities
0
Num Worker Fatalities
0
Num Gp Fatalities
2
Fatal
2
Injury Ind
Yes
Num Emp Injuries
0
Num Contr Injuries
0
Num Er Injuries
0
Num Worker Injuries
0
Num Gp Injuries
1
Injure
1
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2013-07-30 13:45:00
On Site Datetime
2013-07-30 13:45:00
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
1995.0
Pipe Diameter
1.125
Pipe Specification
Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer
Phillips Driscopipe
Material Involved
Plastic
Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Wt Plastic
0.103
Material Pe Pipe Code
3408
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Backhoe Hooked Plastic Service Approximately 8 Feet From Riser. Bucket Made Small Puncture At Contact Point, And Separated The Service At A Reducer Fused Between The Riser And The Service.
Class Location Type
Class 2 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
360000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
1200.0
Est Cost Emergency
235.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
155.0
Prpty
361590.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
1.0
Accident Psig
45.0
Normal Psig
45.0
Mop Psig
60.0
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
1
Num Employees Failed
0
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
Yes
One Call System Ind
Yes
Notify Cga Dirt
Yes
Private Row Ind
Yes
Private Subtype
Private Landowner
Excavator Type
Occupant
Excavator Equipment
Backhoe/trackhoe
Work Performed
Building Construction
One Call Notified Ind
Yes
One Call Ticket Num
31910839
Locator Type
Contract Locator
Visible Marks
Yes
Service Interruption
Unknown/other
Root Cause Category
Excavation Issue
Root Cause Type
Improper Excavation Practice Not Listed Above
Preparer Name
A*** M* C*********
Preparer Title
Gas Regulatory Services Engineer
Preparer Email
A**************@c********.com
Preparer Telephone
989-791-5841
Authorizer Name
T**** A* G****
Authorizer Title
Manager Of Regulatory And Compliance
Authorizer Telephone
517-768-3187
Authorizer Email
T**********@c********.com
Narrative
An excavator was digging with a backhoe at the northeast corner of the house at 3116 vienna road in clio, michigan on july 30, 2013 when the machine's bucket pulled and damaged the 1-1/8" plastic medium pressure service to the home. The service had been staked properly prior to the excavation, but the damaging party failed to hand expose the facility during excavation. The customer at the home notified consumers energy of the damage at approximately 13:08 hours of the damage, indicating that odor was in the air and that hissing could be heard. Consumers energy's first responder arrived at the scene at 13:41, briefly assessed the excavation area and the damaged service, then returned to his vehicle to notify dispatch and call for a gas distribution crew. After calling dispatch, the first responder exited his truck, and at that time the house exploded (approximately 13:45). The explosion resulted in the death of two customers and the hospitalization of a third, all of whom were in the home at the time of the explosion. Follow-up investigation revealed that the backhoe bucket punctured the service, the damage occurring approximately 8 feet from the riser. Additionally, investigators believe the hooking and lifting motion separated the service from the riser at a fuse on a reducer connecting the 1-1/8" service to the 5/8" riser. Additionally, follow-up investigation has identified two possible paths of migration from the damaged facility to the home: 1.) a crawl space vent, directly beneath the gas meter location; and/or 2.) the foundation of the home, consisting of large railroad stones (4' wide by 3' deep) and potentially more porous than other foundation materials. The crawl space beneath the home had a dirt floor. The source of ingition is unknown.
| Occurred At | 2013-07-30 13:45:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2013 |
| Report Received Date | 2013-08-28 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2013.0 |
| Report Number | 20130096.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 15908.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 2748 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Consumers Energy Co |
| Operator Street Address | One Energy Plaza |
| Operator City Name | Jackson |
| Operator State Abbreviation | MI |
| Operator Postal Code | 49201 |
| Local Datetime | 2013-07-30 13:45:00 |
| Location Street Address | 3116 E. Vienna Road |
| Location City Name | Clio |
| Location County Name | Genesee |
| Location State Abbreviation | MI |
| Location Postal Code | 48420-9133 |
| Location Latitude | 43.177701 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -83.654776 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2013-07-30 15:54:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1055574 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 17.0 |
| Fatality Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Contr Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Er Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Worker Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Gp Fatalities | 2 |
| Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Injuries | 0 |
| Num Contr Injuries | 0 |
| Num Er Injuries | 0 |
| Num Worker Injuries | 0 |
| Num Gp Injuries | 1 |
| Injure | 1 |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2013-07-30 13:45:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2013-07-30 13:45:00 |
| 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 | 1995.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 1.125 |
| Pipe Specification | Astm D2513 |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Phillips Driscopipe |
| Material Involved | Plastic |
| Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Wt Plastic | 0.103 |
| Material Pe Pipe Code | 3408 |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Backhoe Hooked Plastic Service Approximately 8 Feet From Riser. Bucket Made Small Puncture At Contact Point, And Separated The Service At A Reducer Fused Between The Riser And The Service. |
| Class Location Type | Class 2 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 360000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 1200.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 235.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 155.0 |
| Prpty | 361590.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 1.0 |
| Accident Psig | 45.0 |
| Normal Psig | 45.0 |
| Mop Psig | 60.0 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| 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 | Yes |
| One Call System Ind | Yes |
| Notify Cga Dirt | Yes |
| Private Row Ind | Yes |
| Private Subtype | Private Landowner |
| Excavator Type | Occupant |
| Excavator Equipment | Backhoe/trackhoe |
| Work Performed | Building Construction |
| One Call Notified Ind | Yes |
| One Call Ticket Num | 31910839 |
| Locator Type | Contract Locator |
| Visible Marks | Yes |
| Service Interruption | Unknown/other |
| Root Cause Category | Excavation Issue |
| Root Cause Type | Improper Excavation Practice Not Listed Above |
| Preparer Name | A*** M* C********* |
| Preparer Title | Gas Regulatory Services Engineer |
| Preparer Email | A**************@c********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 989-791-5841 |
| Authorizer Name | T**** A* G**** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Of Regulatory And Compliance |
| Authorizer Telephone | 517-768-3187 |
| Authorizer Email | T**********@c********.com |
| Narrative | An excavator was digging with a backhoe at the northeast corner of the house at 3116 vienna road in clio, michigan on july 30, 2013 when the machine's bucket pulled and damaged the 1-1/8" plastic medium pressure service to the home. The service had been staked properly prior to the excavation, but the damaging party failed to hand expose the facility during excavation. The customer at the home notified consumers energy of the damage at approximately 13:08 hours of the damage, indicating that odor was in the air and that hissing could be heard. Consumers energy's first responder arrived at the scene at 13:41, briefly assessed the excavation area and the damaged service, then returned to his vehicle to notify dispatch and call for a gas distribution crew. After calling dispatch, the first responder exited his truck, and at that time the house exploded (approximately 13:45). The explosion resulted in the death of two customers and the hospitalization of a third, all of whom were in the home at the time of the explosion. Follow-up investigation revealed that the backhoe bucket punctured the service, the damage occurring approximately 8 feet from the riser. Additionally, investigators believe the hooking and lifting motion separated the service from the riser at a fuse on a reducer connecting the 1-1/8" service to the 5/8" riser. Additionally, follow-up investigation has identified two possible paths of migration from the damaged facility to the home: 1.) a crawl space vent, directly beneath the gas meter location; and/or 2.) the foundation of the home, consisting of large railroad stones (4' wide by 3' deep) and potentially more porous than other foundation materials. The crawl space beneath the home had a dirt floor. The source of ingition is unknown. |
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