Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2014-12-04 — PA
Operator
Ugi Penn Natural Gas
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
1 fatality
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$5,000
Incident datetime
2014-12-04 02:23
Report number
Location
PA, LACKAWANNA
Narrative
On december 4, 2014, between 1:00 am and 2:23 am, a 2" medium-pressure (60 psig maop) high-density plastic main installed in may of 2014 on smith st., in dunmore, pa, and owned by ugi penn natural gas, inc., was caused to leak after its sidewall was eroded by the abrasive effect of sand and gravel mobilized by a high-pressure jet of water emanating from an 1880 cast iron water main which was operated at 100 psi by pa american water company. Post incident investigation indicated that the water main was heavily corroded and a thin section on the top of it ruptured spontaneously. The water main was located approximately two feet beneath the gas main. Escaping gas migrated to 413 smith street, and at 3:51 am the gas ignited causing an explosion and fire, and resulting in a fatality at 413 smith street. 413 and 411 smith st. Were totally destroyed and adjacent structures incurred minor property damages. 5/30/2018 updated cost estimate of damages and submitted report as final.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2014-12-04 02:23:00
Year
2014
Report Received Date
2015-01-02 00:00:00
Iyear
2014.0
Report Number
20150001.0
Supplemental Number
30418.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
15259
Name
Ugi Penn Natural Gas
Operator Street Address
1 Ugi Drive
Operator City Name
Denver
Operator State Abbreviation
PA
Operator Postal Code
17517
Local Datetime
2014-12-04 03:51:00
Location Street Address
413 Smith Street
Location City Name
Dunmore
Location County Name
Lackawanna
Location State Abbreviation
PA
Location Postal Code
18512
Location Latitude
41.414137
Location Longitude
-75.625221
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2014-12-04 05:27:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1102577
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
395.0
Fatality Ind
Yes
Num Emp Fatalities
0
Num Contr Fatalities
0
Num Er Fatalities
0
Num Worker Fatalities
0
Num Gp Fatalities
1
Fatal
1
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
45.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2014-12-04 02:23:00
On Site Datetime
2014-12-04 02:50:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Public Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Pavement
Depth Of Cover
47.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
2014.0
Pipe Diameter
2.0
Pipe Specification
Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer
Charter Plastics - Titusville, Pa
Material Involved
Plastic
Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Plastic Sdr
11
Material Pe Pipe Code
3408
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Other
Leak Type Other
Hole - 2.25" X 1.5" Oval
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
509000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
5000.0
Est Cost Emergency
15000.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
1300.0
Prpty
530300.0
Commercial Affected
5.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
120.0
Accident Psig
51.0
Normal Psig
51.0
Mop Psig
60.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Emergency Responder
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
8
Num Employees Failed
0
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Cause Details
Other Outside Force Damage
Outside Force Type
Other Outside Force Damage
Osf Other Details
The Cause Of The Incident Was The Failure Of A High Pressure (~100 Psig) Cast Iron Water Main From Which A Jet Of Water Emanated, Impinging On The Adjacent Polyethylene Gas Distribution Line, Causing Abrasion With Sand And Gravel Until The Pipewall Was Eroded.
Preparer Name
F**** B******
Preparer Title
Director Engineering And Technical Services
Preparer Email
F*******@u**.com
Preparer Telephone
610-796-3567
Authorizer Name
H*** B***
Authorizer Title
Chief Operating Officer
Authorizer Telephone
610-796-3450
Authorizer Email
H****@u**.com
Narrative
On december 4, 2014, between 1:00 am and 2:23 am, a 2" medium-pressure (60 psig maop) high-density plastic main installed in may of 2014 on smith st., in dunmore, pa, and owned by ugi penn natural gas, inc., was caused to leak after its sidewall was eroded by the abrasive effect of sand and gravel mobilized by a high-pressure jet of water emanating from an 1880 cast iron water main which was operated at 100 psi by pa american water company. Post incident investigation indicated that the water main was heavily corroded and a thin section on the top of it ruptured spontaneously. The water main was located approximately two feet beneath the gas main. Escaping gas migrated to 413 smith street, and at 3:51 am the gas ignited causing an explosion and fire, and resulting in a fatality at 413 smith street. 413 and 411 smith st. Were totally destroyed and adjacent structures incurred minor property damages. 5/30/2018 updated cost estimate of damages and submitted report as final.
| Occurred At | 2014-12-04 02:23:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
| Report Received Date | 2015-01-02 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2014.0 |
| Report Number | 20150001.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 30418.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 15259 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Ugi Penn Natural Gas |
| Operator Street Address | 1 Ugi Drive |
| Operator City Name | Denver |
| Operator State Abbreviation | PA |
| Operator Postal Code | 17517 |
| Local Datetime | 2014-12-04 03:51:00 |
| Location Street Address | 413 Smith Street |
| Location City Name | Dunmore |
| Location County Name | Lackawanna |
| Location State Abbreviation | PA |
| Location Postal Code | 18512 |
| Location Latitude | 41.414137 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -75.625221 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2014-12-04 05:27:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1102577 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 395.0 |
| Fatality Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Contr Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Er Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Worker Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Gp Fatalities | 1 |
| Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 45.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2014-12-04 02:23:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2014-12-04 02:50:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Public Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Under Pavement |
| Depth Of Cover | 47.0 |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Privately Owned |
| System Part Involved | Main |
| Installation Year | 2014.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 2.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Astm D2513 |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Charter Plastics - Titusville, Pa |
| Material Involved | Plastic |
| Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Plastic Sdr | 11 |
| Material Pe Pipe Code | 3408 |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Other |
| Leak Type Other | Hole - 2.25" X 1.5" Oval |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 509000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 5000.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 15000.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 1300.0 |
| Prpty | 530300.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 5.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 120.0 |
| Accident Psig | 51.0 |
| Normal Psig | 51.0 |
| Mop Psig | 60.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Emergency Responder |
| 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 | 8 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Other Outside Force Damage |
| Cause Details | Other Outside Force Damage |
| Outside Force Type | Other Outside Force Damage |
| Osf Other Details | The Cause Of The Incident Was The Failure Of A High Pressure (~100 Psig) Cast Iron Water Main From Which A Jet Of Water Emanated, Impinging On The Adjacent Polyethylene Gas Distribution Line, Causing Abrasion With Sand And Gravel Until The Pipewall Was Eroded. |
| Preparer Name | F**** B****** |
| Preparer Title | Director Engineering And Technical Services |
| Preparer Email | F*******@u**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 610-796-3567 |
| Authorizer Name | H*** B*** |
| Authorizer Title | Chief Operating Officer |
| Authorizer Telephone | 610-796-3450 |
| Authorizer Email | H****@u**.com |
| Narrative | On december 4, 2014, between 1:00 am and 2:23 am, a 2" medium-pressure (60 psig maop) high-density plastic main installed in may of 2014 on smith st., in dunmore, pa, and owned by ugi penn natural gas, inc., was caused to leak after its sidewall was eroded by the abrasive effect of sand and gravel mobilized by a high-pressure jet of water emanating from an 1880 cast iron water main which was operated at 100 psi by pa american water company. Post incident investigation indicated that the water main was heavily corroded and a thin section on the top of it ruptured spontaneously. The water main was located approximately two feet beneath the gas main. Escaping gas migrated to 413 smith street, and at 3:51 am the gas ignited causing an explosion and fire, and resulting in a fatality at 413 smith street. 413 and 411 smith st. Were totally destroyed and adjacent structures incurred minor property damages. 5/30/2018 updated cost estimate of damages and submitted report as final. |
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