Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2014-03-03 — CA
Operator
Pacific Gas & Electric Co
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$2,000
Incident datetime
2014-03-03 11:25
Report number
Location
CA, MONTEREY
Narrative
At approximately 1115 hours on march 3, 2014, a natural gas explosion caused major damage to a house at guadalupe street and 3rd ave. Sw in carmel. A pacific gas & electric (pg&e) construction crew tapped into a 2-inch diameter steel main and inadvertently tapped through the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main inserted in the 2-inch steel main. The crew was not aware that the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main had previously been inserted into the 2-inch diameter steel line. The causal evaluation of the incident performed by a third party investigator determined the cause of the explosion to be "inadequate verification of system status and configuration when performing work on a live line." pg&e has determined that gas most likely escaped from the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main and migrated into a separated sewer lateral that provided a path into the house. No one was in the house at the time of the explosion. A pg&e gas service representative was on site at 1135 hours. Pg&e repair crews were on site at 1138 hours. The house was not occupied at the time of the explosion, and there were no injuries or fatalities. The fire department evacuated the homes in a 1-block radius. Debris from the explosion fell onto the roof of a neighboring house, and gas service to that house was shut off as a precaution. The flow of gas was stopped at 1145 hours by squeezing the main at two locations. The repair crew also dug up and squeezed the service line to the damaged house. The gas main was then capped at 1209 hours. This incident was reported to the DOT and the california public utilities commission due to property damages exceeding $50,000. Pg&e conducted a special leak survey after the incident, and one leak on a service valve in the vicinity was found and repaired. Service to the neighboring house was restored on 3/11/2014 by the homeowner's contractor without notification to pg&e, however, after the occupants informed pg&e on 3/12/2014, pg&e performed a service shut down and restart on 3/12/2014, including a pressure check, a soap test, and a safety check of all the gas appliances in the home.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2014-03-03 11:25:00
Year
2014
Report Received Date
2014-04-02 00:00:00
Iyear
2014.0
Report Number
20140028.0
Supplemental Number
15869.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
15007
Name
Pacific Gas & Electric Co
Operator Street Address
6121 Bollinger Canyon Rd.
Operator City Name
San Ramon
Operator State Abbreviation
CA
Operator Postal Code
94583
Local Datetime
2014-03-03 11:15:00
Location Street Address
Guadalupe Street At 3rd Ave.
Location City Name
Carmel
Location County Name
Monterey
Location State Abbreviation
CA
Location Postal Code
93923
Location Latitude
36.559244
Location Longitude
-121.916774
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2014-03-03 13:30:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1075638
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
1.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2014-03-03 11:25:00
On Site Datetime
2014-03-03 11:35:00
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
Main
Pipe Diameter
1.25
Pipe Specification
Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer
Uponor
Material Involved
Plastic
Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Material Pe Pipe Code
2406
Release Type
Mechanical Puncture
Puncture Axial
0.5
Puncture Circum
0.5
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
300000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
2000.0
Est Cost Emergency
0.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Prpty
302000.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
1.0
Accident Psig
48.0
Normal Psig
48.0
Mop Psig
52.0
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
5
Num Employees Failed
0
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Type
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Details
During Steel Tapping Operation, Crew Unknowingly Tapped Into Inserted Plastic Causing Release Of Gas.
Related Other Ind
Yes
Operation Related Details
Inadequate Verification Of System Status And Configuration When Performing Work On A Live Line.
Category Type
Construction
Operator Qualification Ind
Yes
Qualified Individuals
Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S)
Preparer Name
L******* K***
Preparer Title
Compliance Analyst
Preparer Email
L***@p**.com
Preparer Telephone
925-328-5760
Authorizer Name
C********* M****
Authorizer Title
Manager Regulatory Compliance
Authorizer Telephone
925-328-5795
Authorizer Email
C***@p**.com
Narrative
At approximately 1115 hours on march 3, 2014, a natural gas explosion caused major damage to a house at guadalupe street and 3rd ave. Sw in carmel. A pacific gas & electric (pg&e) construction crew tapped into a 2-inch diameter steel main and inadvertently tapped through the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main inserted in the 2-inch steel main. The crew was not aware that the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main had previously been inserted into the 2-inch diameter steel line. The causal evaluation of the incident performed by a third party investigator determined the cause of the explosion to be "inadequate verification of system status and configuration when performing work on a live line." pg&e has determined that gas most likely escaped from the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main and migrated into a separated sewer lateral that provided a path into the house. No one was in the house at the time of the explosion. A pg&e gas service representative was on site at 1135 hours. Pg&e repair crews were on site at 1138 hours. The house was not occupied at the time of the explosion, and there were no injuries or fatalities. The fire department evacuated the homes in a 1-block radius. Debris from the explosion fell onto the roof of a neighboring house, and gas service to that house was shut off as a precaution. The flow of gas was stopped at 1145 hours by squeezing the main at two locations. The repair crew also dug up and squeezed the service line to the damaged house. The gas main was then capped at 1209 hours. This incident was reported to the DOT and the california public utilities commission due to property damages exceeding $50,000. Pg&e conducted a special leak survey after the incident, and one leak on a service valve in the vicinity was found and repaired. Service to the neighboring house was restored on 3/11/2014 by the homeowner's contractor without notification to pg&e, however, after the occupants informed pg&e on 3/12/2014, pg&e performed a service shut down and restart on 3/12/2014, including a pressure check, a soap test, and a safety check of all the gas appliances in the home.
| Occurred At | 2014-03-03 11:25:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
| Report Received Date | 2014-04-02 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2014.0 |
| Report Number | 20140028.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 15869.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 15007 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Pacific Gas & Electric Co |
| Operator Street Address | 6121 Bollinger Canyon Rd. |
| Operator City Name | San Ramon |
| Operator State Abbreviation | CA |
| Operator Postal Code | 94583 |
| Local Datetime | 2014-03-03 11:15:00 |
| Location Street Address | Guadalupe Street At 3rd Ave. |
| Location City Name | Carmel |
| Location County Name | Monterey |
| Location State Abbreviation | CA |
| Location Postal Code | 93923 |
| Location Latitude | 36.559244 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -121.916774 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2014-03-03 13:30:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1075638 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 1.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2014-03-03 11:25:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2014-03-03 11:35:00 |
| 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 | Main |
| Pipe Diameter | 1.25 |
| Pipe Specification | Astm D2513 |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Uponor |
| Material Involved | Plastic |
| Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Material Pe Pipe Code | 2406 |
| Release Type | Mechanical Puncture |
| Puncture Axial | 0.5 |
| Puncture Circum | 0.5 |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 300000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 2000.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 302000.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 1.0 |
| Accident Psig | 48.0 |
| Normal Psig | 48.0 |
| Mop Psig | 52.0 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Type | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Details | During Steel Tapping Operation, Crew Unknowingly Tapped Into Inserted Plastic Causing Release Of Gas. |
| Related Other Ind | Yes |
| Operation Related Details | Inadequate Verification Of System Status And Configuration When Performing Work On A Live Line. |
| Category Type | Construction |
| Operator Qualification Ind | Yes |
| Qualified Individuals | Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S) |
| Preparer Name | L******* K*** |
| Preparer Title | Compliance Analyst |
| Preparer Email | L***@p**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 925-328-5760 |
| Authorizer Name | C********* M**** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Regulatory Compliance |
| Authorizer Telephone | 925-328-5795 |
| Authorizer Email | C***@p**.com |
| Narrative | At approximately 1115 hours on march 3, 2014, a natural gas explosion caused major damage to a house at guadalupe street and 3rd ave. Sw in carmel. A pacific gas & electric (pg&e) construction crew tapped into a 2-inch diameter steel main and inadvertently tapped through the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main inserted in the 2-inch steel main. The crew was not aware that the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main had previously been inserted into the 2-inch diameter steel line. The causal evaluation of the incident performed by a third party investigator determined the cause of the explosion to be "inadequate verification of system status and configuration when performing work on a live line." pg&e has determined that gas most likely escaped from the 11/4-inch diameter plastic main and migrated into a separated sewer lateral that provided a path into the house. No one was in the house at the time of the explosion. A pg&e gas service representative was on site at 1135 hours. Pg&e repair crews were on site at 1138 hours. The house was not occupied at the time of the explosion, and there were no injuries or fatalities. The fire department evacuated the homes in a 1-block radius. Debris from the explosion fell onto the roof of a neighboring house, and gas service to that house was shut off as a precaution. The flow of gas was stopped at 1145 hours by squeezing the main at two locations. The repair crew also dug up and squeezed the service line to the damaged house. The gas main was then capped at 1209 hours. This incident was reported to the DOT and the california public utilities commission due to property damages exceeding $50,000. Pg&e conducted a special leak survey after the incident, and one leak on a service valve in the vicinity was found and repaired. Service to the neighboring house was restored on 3/11/2014 by the homeowner's contractor without notification to pg&e, however, after the occupants informed pg&e on 3/12/2014, pg&e performed a service shut down and restart on 3/12/2014, including a pressure check, a soap test, and a safety check of all the gas appliances in the home. |
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