GD incident on 2019-04-17 — MN

Operator
Greater Minnesota Gas Inc.
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$7,000
Incident datetime
2019-04-17 13:17
Report number
Location
MN, SCOTT
Narrative
Lightning struck the ground and/or the home adjacent to the natural gas service line. Current from the lightning strike traveled through the entire tracer wire along the service line resulting in a below ground leak near the meter set and disintegration of the tracer wire. The gas ignited resulting in a house fire near the meter set. Company responders excavated the service line near the main and squeezed the plastic line to eliminate the source of gas. The new prague fire department put out the fire. The service was then cut and capped. The lightning strike may have also caused a leak in the above ground meter set. It was not clear if a potential lightning strike near the home and meter set was the primary cause or if it was due to a potential lightning strike to the ground and traveling to the meter set along the tracer wire.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2019-04-17 13:17:00
Year
2019
Report Received Date
2019-05-10 00:00:00
Iyear
2019.0
Report Number
20190050.0
Supplemental Number
32594.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Greater Minnesota Gas Inc.
Operator Street Address
1900 Cardinal Lane Po Box 798
Operator City Name
Faribault
Operator State Abbreviation
MN
Operator Postal Code
55021
Local Datetime
2019-04-17 13:17:00
Location Street Address
22705 Balsa Cir
Location City Name
Prior Lake
Location County Name
Scott
Location State Abbreviation
MN
Location Postal Code
55372
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2019-04-17 14:55:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
1.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
2.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2019-04-17 13:17:00
On Site Datetime
2019-04-17 13:45:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
18.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Other
System Part Details
Meter Set Riser And Service Line
Installation Year
1999.0
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Multiple
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Pinhole
Class Location Type
Class 1 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
50000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
7000.0
Est Cost Emergency
3413.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
4.0
Prpty
60417.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
1.0
Accident Psig
70.0
Normal Psig
70.0
Mop Psig
76.0
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
Natural Force Damage
Cause Details
Lightning
Natural Force Type
Lightning
Lightning Subtype
Direct Hit
Nf Other Details
,,,
Nf Extreme Weather Ind
No
Preparer Name
T***** L*****
Preparer Title
Engineer
Preparer Email
T******@g***********.com
Preparer Telephone
507-327-8211
Authorizer Name
T***** L*****
Authorizer Title
Engineer
Authorizer Telephone
507-327-8211
Authorizer Email
T******@g***********.com
Narrative
Lightning struck the ground and/or the home adjacent to the natural gas service line. Current from the lightning strike traveled through the entire tracer wire along the service line resulting in a below ground leak near the meter set and disintegration of the tracer wire. The gas ignited resulting in a house fire near the meter set. Company responders excavated the service line near the main and squeezed the plastic line to eliminate the source of gas. The new prague fire department put out the fire. The service was then cut and capped. The lightning strike may have also caused a leak in the above ground meter set. It was not clear if a potential lightning strike near the home and meter set was the primary cause or if it was due to a potential lightning strike to the ground and traveling to the meter set along the tracer wire.
Occurred At 2019-04-17 13:17:00
Year 2019
Report Received Date 2019-05-10 00:00:00
Iyear 2019.0
Report Number 20190050.0
Supplemental Number 32594.0
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 30967 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Greater Minnesota Gas Inc.
Operator Street Address 1900 Cardinal Lane Po Box 798
Operator City Name Faribault
Operator State Abbreviation MN
Operator Postal Code 55021
Local Datetime 2019-04-17 13:17:00
Location Street Address 22705 Balsa Cir
Location City Name Prior Lake
Location County Name Scott
Location State Abbreviation MN
Location Postal Code 55372
Location Latitude 44.620435 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -93.452157 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2019-04-17 14:55:00
Nrc Rpt Num 1243024 NRC Report How to search
Commodity Released Type Natural Gas
Unintentional Release 1.0
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Ignite Ind Yes
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 2.0
Incident Identified Datetime 2019-04-17 13:17:00
On Site Datetime 2019-04-17 13:45:00
Federal No
Location Type Private Property
Incident Area Type Underground
Incident Area Subtype Under Soil
Depth Of Cover 18.0
Crossing No
Pipe Facility Type Investor Owned
System Part Involved Other
System Part Details Meter Set Riser And Service Line
Installation Year 1999.0
Material Involved Other
Material Details Multiple
Release Type Leak
Leak Type Pinhole
Class Location Type Class 1 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid 50000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage 7000.0
Est Cost Emergency 3413.0
Est Cost Other 0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release 4.0
Prpty 60417.0
Commercial Affected 0.0
Industrial Affected 0.0
Residences Affected 1.0
Accident Psig 70.0
Normal Psig 70.0
Mop Psig 76.0
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 Natural Force Damage
Cause Details Lightning
Natural Force Type Lightning
Lightning Subtype Direct Hit
Nf Other Details ,,,
Nf Extreme Weather Ind No
Preparer Name T***** L*****
Preparer Title Engineer
Preparer Email T******@g***********.com
Preparer Telephone 507-327-8211
Authorizer Name T***** L*****
Authorizer Title Engineer
Authorizer Telephone 507-327-8211
Authorizer Email T******@g***********.com
Narrative Lightning struck the ground and/or the home adjacent to the natural gas service line. Current from the lightning strike traveled through the entire tracer wire along the service line resulting in a below ground leak near the meter set and disintegration of the tracer wire. The gas ignited resulting in a house fire near the meter set. Company responders excavated the service line near the main and squeezed the plastic line to eliminate the source of gas. The new prague fire department put out the fire. The service was then cut and capped. The lightning strike may have also caused a leak in the above ground meter set. It was not clear if a potential lightning strike near the home and meter set was the primary cause or if it was due to a potential lightning strike to the ground and traveling to the meter set along the tracer wire.

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