GD incident on 2019-03-29 — NJ

Operator
New Jersey Natural Gas Co
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Commodity
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$10
Incident datetime
2019-03-29 13:37
Report number
Location
NJ, OCEAN
Narrative
On march 29, 2019, njng responded to a house fire at 44 bonaire drive, berkeley township called into dispatch by the fire department. Fire department officials evacuated 2 people from nearby homes within the vicinity of the affected home. The residence at 44 bonaire drive was vacant. The fire chief and investigator provided njng the following preliminary findings: heavy hydrocarbons or accelerant in the area. At the time the initial incident report was prepared, the cause of fire was still under investigation. The natural gas service feeding this residence was a 1/2" hdpe line operating at 55 psi. The meter location was outside left, approximately 15 feet from corner of house. Neither the meter or aboveground piping were compromised; however, a hole was noted at the 6 o'clock position on the service line. In or about july 2019, the berkeley township police charged the neighboring property owner with criminal mischief for recklessly or negligently damaging property while employing or handling fire, "by pouring gasoline into a groundhog hole and causing a structure fire at 44 bonaire drive in berkeley township." the neighbor is approximately 80 years old. During our discussions with the prosecutor, she advised that their expert has opined that the gas line was attacked by fire, which is just what our experts say. A review of njng records reveal there is no history of a gas leak or leaks at the property or in the neighborhood in the several years before the incident. Based on the foregoing, we conclude that the gas pipe was compromised as a result of the neighbor pouring gasoline into the groundhog hole causing a fire.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2019-03-29 13:37:00
Year
2019
Report Received Date
2019-04-26 00:00:00
Iyear
2019.0
Report Number
20190039.0
Supplemental Number
33044.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
New Jersey Natural Gas Co
Operator Street Address
1415 Wyckoff Road
Operator City Name
Wall
Operator State Abbreviation
NJ
Operator Postal Code
07719
Local Datetime
2019-03-29 13:37:00
Location Street Address
44 Bonaire Drive
Location City Name
Berkeley Township
Location County Name
Ocean
Location State Abbreviation
NJ
Location Postal Code
08721
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2019-04-01 09:04:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Unintentional Release
10.64
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
2.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2019-03-29 13:37:00
On Site Datetime
2019-03-29 13:51:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
11.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Service
Installation Year
1988.0
Pipe Diameter
0.5
Pipe Specification
Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer
Phillips Driscopipe, Inc.
Material Involved
Plastic
Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Wt Plastic
0.09
Material Pe Pipe Code
3408
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Fire Damaged The Gas Service Line.
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
100000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
10.0
Est Cost Emergency
1338.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Other Details
Non-Operator Private Property Damage Cost Estimated To Be More Than $100,000.
Est Cost Unintentional Release
102.0
Prpty
101450.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
1.0
Accident Psig
55.0
Normal Psig
55.0
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
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Cause Details
Nearby Industrial, Man-Made, Or Other Fire/explosion As Primary Cause Of Incident
Outside Force Type
Nearby Industrial, Man-Made, Or Other Fire/explosion As Primary Cause Of Incident
Preparer Name
M***** K***
Preparer Title
Director - System Enhancement
Preparer Email
M*****@n***.com
Preparer Telephone
732-919-8035
Preparer Fax
732-919-0936
Authorizer Name
M***** K***
Authorizer Title
Director - System Enhancement
Authorizer Telephone
732-919-8035
Authorizer Email
M*****@n***.com
Narrative
On march 29, 2019, njng responded to a house fire at 44 bonaire drive, berkeley township called into dispatch by the fire department. Fire department officials evacuated 2 people from nearby homes within the vicinity of the affected home. The residence at 44 bonaire drive was vacant. The fire chief and investigator provided njng the following preliminary findings: heavy hydrocarbons or accelerant in the area. At the time the initial incident report was prepared, the cause of fire was still under investigation. The natural gas service feeding this residence was a 1/2" hdpe line operating at 55 psi. The meter location was outside left, approximately 15 feet from corner of house. Neither the meter or aboveground piping were compromised; however, a hole was noted at the 6 o'clock position on the service line. In or about july 2019, the berkeley township police charged the neighboring property owner with criminal mischief for recklessly or negligently damaging property while employing or handling fire, "by pouring gasoline into a groundhog hole and causing a structure fire at 44 bonaire drive in berkeley township." the neighbor is approximately 80 years old. During our discussions with the prosecutor, she advised that their expert has opined that the gas line was attacked by fire, which is just what our experts say. A review of njng records reveal there is no history of a gas leak or leaks at the property or in the neighborhood in the several years before the incident. Based on the foregoing, we conclude that the gas pipe was compromised as a result of the neighbor pouring gasoline into the groundhog hole causing a fire.
Occurred At 2019-03-29 13:37:00
Year 2019
Report Received Date 2019-04-26 00:00:00
Iyear 2019.0
Report Number 20190039.0
Supplemental Number 33044.0
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 13299 PHMSA Enforcement
Name New Jersey Natural Gas Co
Operator Street Address 1415 Wyckoff Road
Operator City Name Wall
Operator State Abbreviation NJ
Operator Postal Code 07719
Local Datetime 2019-03-29 13:37:00
Location Street Address 44 Bonaire Drive
Location City Name Berkeley Township
Location County Name Ocean
Location State Abbreviation NJ
Location Postal Code 08721
Location Latitude 39.977699 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -74.261813 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2019-04-01 09:04:00
Nrc Rpt Num 1241551 NRC Report How to search
Unintentional Release 10.64
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Ignite Ind Yes
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 2.0
Incident Identified Datetime 2019-03-29 13:37:00
On Site Datetime 2019-03-29 13:51:00
Federal No
Location Type Private Property
Incident Area Type Underground
Incident Area Subtype Under Soil
Depth Of Cover 11.0
Crossing No
Pipe Facility Type Investor Owned
System Part Involved Service
Installation Year 1988.0
Pipe Diameter 0.5
Pipe Specification Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer Phillips Driscopipe, Inc.
Material Involved Plastic
Plastic Type Polyethylene (Pe)
Wt Plastic 0.09
Material Pe Pipe Code 3408
Release Type Other
Release Type Details Fire Damaged The Gas Service Line.
Class Location Type Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid 100000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage 10.0
Est Cost Emergency 1338.0
Est Cost Other 0.0
Est Cost Other Details Non-Operator Private Property Damage Cost Estimated To Be More Than $100,000.
Est Cost Unintentional Release 102.0
Prpty 101450.0
Commercial Affected 0.0
Industrial Affected 0.0
Residences Affected 1.0
Accident Psig 55.0
Normal Psig 55.0
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 No
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Other Outside Force Damage
Cause Details Nearby Industrial, Man-Made, Or Other Fire/explosion As Primary Cause Of Incident
Outside Force Type Nearby Industrial, Man-Made, Or Other Fire/explosion As Primary Cause Of Incident
Preparer Name M***** K***
Preparer Title Director - System Enhancement
Preparer Email M*****@n***.com
Preparer Telephone 732-919-8035
Preparer Fax 732-919-0936
Authorizer Name M***** K***
Authorizer Title Director - System Enhancement
Authorizer Telephone 732-919-8035
Authorizer Email M*****@n***.com
Narrative On march 29, 2019, njng responded to a house fire at 44 bonaire drive, berkeley township called into dispatch by the fire department. Fire department officials evacuated 2 people from nearby homes within the vicinity of the affected home. The residence at 44 bonaire drive was vacant. The fire chief and investigator provided njng the following preliminary findings: heavy hydrocarbons or accelerant in the area. At the time the initial incident report was prepared, the cause of fire was still under investigation. The natural gas service feeding this residence was a 1/2" hdpe line operating at 55 psi. The meter location was outside left, approximately 15 feet from corner of house. Neither the meter or aboveground piping were compromised; however, a hole was noted at the 6 o'clock position on the service line. In or about july 2019, the berkeley township police charged the neighboring property owner with criminal mischief for recklessly or negligently damaging property while employing or handling fire, "by pouring gasoline into a groundhog hole and causing a structure fire at 44 bonaire drive in berkeley township." the neighbor is approximately 80 years old. During our discussions with the prosecutor, she advised that their expert has opined that the gas line was attacked by fire, which is just what our experts say. A review of njng records reveal there is no history of a gas leak or leaks at the property or in the neighborhood in the several years before the incident. Based on the foregoing, we conclude that the gas pipe was compromised as a result of the neighbor pouring gasoline into the groundhog hole causing a fire.

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