Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2015-03-21 — OH
Operator
Columbia Gas Of Ohio Inc
Cause
Other Incident Cause
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$1,755
Incident datetime
2015-03-21 14:47
Report number
Location
OH, FRANKLIN
Narrative
On march 21, 2015, a columbia gas of ohio, inc. ("columbia" or "company") service technician responded to an odor-of-gas call at 3418 sunningdale way, upper arlington, ohio. The technician verified that no one was at home, and turned off both the curb valve to the active service line and the meter valve. No leaks were found in the meter set assembly, but subsurface readings indicated the presence of gas at the foundation of the house. While the technician was on the premises, an explosion occurred, followed by a fire. The fire continued at the foundation of the house. Although the fire appeared to be gas-fed, it continued after the company physically disconnected the active, plastic service line. In the course of searching for possible sources of the fire, the company discovered a discontinued customer-owned steel service line, which was accessed through a curb box that was incorrectly labeled "water." the valve on that line was partially open, and the company believes that it was inadvertently operated by a third party on the previous day. The line terminated at an elbow approximately 38 inches below the surface, near the block foundation of the house. Subsequent testing showed a corrosion leak approximately four feet from the incorrectly labeled curb box, and additional examination of that facility revealed that the elbow at the termination of the discontinued customer-owned service line was uncapped. Columbia's records do not show two service lines at this address, and subsequent gas main camera inspections, including gas line valves and customer service connections to the main, conducted by columbia on sunningdale way and the immediately surrounding streets confirmed that the discontinued and connected gas service line is an anomaly because all other gas main openings are accounted for in the company's records. The company is unable to rule out an unauthorized installation of facilities by a third party. At this point in the investigation, columbia has enough information to finalize its incident report, and submits that the inadvertent operation of a gas valve by a third-party, which was accessed through a curb box that was incorrectly labeled "water," which ultimately allowed gas to flow to a discontinued, uncapped service line is the likely series of events that caused the incident. The company has made multiple attempts to interview the water department and/or the operator of its system in that area to determine whether it has information or documentation concerning any factors that contributed to this event, and has been unsuccessful in securing an interview. The company will continue to work with local authorities as they complete their investigations.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2015-03-21 14:47:00
Year
2015
Report Received Date
2015-04-20 00:00:00
Iyear
2015.0
Report Number
20150044.0
Supplemental Number
16125.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
2596
Name
Columbia Gas Of Ohio Inc
Operator Street Address
290 W Nationwide Blvd
Operator City Name
Columbus
Operator State Abbreviation
OH
Operator Postal Code
43215
Local Datetime
2015-03-21 14:47:00
Location Street Address
3418 Sunningdale Way
Location City Name
Upper Arlington
Location County Name
Franklin
Location State Abbreviation
OH
Location Postal Code
43221
Location Latitude
40.027082
Location Longitude
-83.057943
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2015-03-21 15:45:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1111378
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
163.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
18.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2015-03-21 14:47:00
On Site Datetime
2015-03-21 12:38:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Pavement
Depth Of Cover
38.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Service
Installation Year
1960.0
Pipe Diameter
1.25
Pipe Specification
Unknown
Pipe Manufacturer
Unknown
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Unknown
Wt Steel
0.166
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Unplugged Elbow.
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
9000000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
1755.0
Est Cost Emergency
3200.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
320.0
Prpty
9005275.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
8.0
Accident Psig
7.0
Normal Psig
7.0
Mop Psig
9.5
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
Other Incident Cause
Cause Details
Miscellaneous
Other Type
Miscellaneous
Misc Details
See Narrative
Preparer Name
R** S*****
Preparer Title
Operation Compliance Manager
Preparer Email
R******@n*******.com
Preparer Telephone
614-818-2110
Preparer Fax
614-818-2151
Authorizer Name
R** S****
Authorizer Title
Operation Compliance Manager
Authorizer Telephone
614-818-2110
Authorizer Email
R******@n*******.com
Narrative
On march 21, 2015, a columbia gas of ohio, inc. ("columbia" or "company") service technician responded to an odor-of-gas call at 3418 sunningdale way, upper arlington, ohio. The technician verified that no one was at home, and turned off both the curb valve to the active service line and the meter valve. No leaks were found in the meter set assembly, but subsurface readings indicated the presence of gas at the foundation of the house. While the technician was on the premises, an explosion occurred, followed by a fire. The fire continued at the foundation of the house. Although the fire appeared to be gas-fed, it continued after the company physically disconnected the active, plastic service line. In the course of searching for possible sources of the fire, the company discovered a discontinued customer-owned steel service line, which was accessed through a curb box that was incorrectly labeled "water." the valve on that line was partially open, and the company believes that it was inadvertently operated by a third party on the previous day. The line terminated at an elbow approximately 38 inches below the surface, near the block foundation of the house. Subsequent testing showed a corrosion leak approximately four feet from the incorrectly labeled curb box, and additional examination of that facility revealed that the elbow at the termination of the discontinued customer-owned service line was uncapped. Columbia's records do not show two service lines at this address, and subsequent gas main camera inspections, including gas line valves and customer service connections to the main, conducted by columbia on sunningdale way and the immediately surrounding streets confirmed that the discontinued and connected gas service line is an anomaly because all other gas main openings are accounted for in the company's records. The company is unable to rule out an unauthorized installation of facilities by a third party. At this point in the investigation, columbia has enough information to finalize its incident report, and submits that the inadvertent operation of a gas valve by a third-party, which was accessed through a curb box that was incorrectly labeled "water," which ultimately allowed gas to flow to a discontinued, uncapped service line is the likely series of events that caused the incident. The company has made multiple attempts to interview the water department and/or the operator of its system in that area to determine whether it has information or documentation concerning any factors that contributed to this event, and has been unsuccessful in securing an interview. The company will continue to work with local authorities as they complete their investigations.
| Occurred At | 2015-03-21 14:47:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2015 |
| Report Received Date | 2015-04-20 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2015.0 |
| Report Number | 20150044.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 16125.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 2596 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Columbia Gas Of Ohio Inc |
| Operator Street Address | 290 W Nationwide Blvd |
| Operator City Name | Columbus |
| Operator State Abbreviation | OH |
| Operator Postal Code | 43215 |
| Local Datetime | 2015-03-21 14:47:00 |
| Location Street Address | 3418 Sunningdale Way |
| Location City Name | Upper Arlington |
| Location County Name | Franklin |
| Location State Abbreviation | OH |
| Location Postal Code | 43221 |
| Location Latitude | 40.027082 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -83.057943 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2015-03-21 15:45:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1111378 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 163.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 18.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2015-03-21 14:47:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2015-03-21 12:38:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Private Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Under Pavement |
| Depth Of Cover | 38.0 |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Investor Owned |
| System Part Involved | Service |
| Installation Year | 1960.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 1.25 |
| Pipe Specification | Unknown |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Unknown |
| Material Involved | Steel |
| Steel Seam Type | Other |
| Steel Seam Type Details | Unknown |
| Wt Steel | 0.166 |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Unplugged Elbow. |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 9000000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 1755.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 3200.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 320.0 |
| Prpty | 9005275.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 8.0 |
| Accident Psig | 7.0 |
| Normal Psig | 7.0 |
| Mop Psig | 9.5 |
| 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 | Other Incident Cause |
| Cause Details | Miscellaneous |
| Other Type | Miscellaneous |
| Misc Details | See Narrative |
| Preparer Name | R** S***** |
| Preparer Title | Operation Compliance Manager |
| Preparer Email | R******@n*******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 614-818-2110 |
| Preparer Fax | 614-818-2151 |
| Authorizer Name | R** S**** |
| Authorizer Title | Operation Compliance Manager |
| Authorizer Telephone | 614-818-2110 |
| Authorizer Email | R******@n*******.com |
| Narrative | On march 21, 2015, a columbia gas of ohio, inc. ("columbia" or "company") service technician responded to an odor-of-gas call at 3418 sunningdale way, upper arlington, ohio. The technician verified that no one was at home, and turned off both the curb valve to the active service line and the meter valve. No leaks were found in the meter set assembly, but subsurface readings indicated the presence of gas at the foundation of the house. While the technician was on the premises, an explosion occurred, followed by a fire. The fire continued at the foundation of the house. Although the fire appeared to be gas-fed, it continued after the company physically disconnected the active, plastic service line. In the course of searching for possible sources of the fire, the company discovered a discontinued customer-owned steel service line, which was accessed through a curb box that was incorrectly labeled "water." the valve on that line was partially open, and the company believes that it was inadvertently operated by a third party on the previous day. The line terminated at an elbow approximately 38 inches below the surface, near the block foundation of the house. Subsequent testing showed a corrosion leak approximately four feet from the incorrectly labeled curb box, and additional examination of that facility revealed that the elbow at the termination of the discontinued customer-owned service line was uncapped. Columbia's records do not show two service lines at this address, and subsequent gas main camera inspections, including gas line valves and customer service connections to the main, conducted by columbia on sunningdale way and the immediately surrounding streets confirmed that the discontinued and connected gas service line is an anomaly because all other gas main openings are accounted for in the company's records. The company is unable to rule out an unauthorized installation of facilities by a third party. At this point in the investigation, columbia has enough information to finalize its incident report, and submits that the inadvertent operation of a gas valve by a third-party, which was accessed through a curb box that was incorrectly labeled "water," which ultimately allowed gas to flow to a discontinued, uncapped service line is the likely series of events that caused the incident. The company has made multiple attempts to interview the water department and/or the operator of its system in that area to determine whether it has information or documentation concerning any factors that contributed to this event, and has been unsuccessful in securing an interview. The company will continue to work with local authorities as they complete their investigations. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA