Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2019-08-21 — NY
Operator
Rochester Gas & Electric Corp
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
1 fatality
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$2,500
Incident datetime
2019-08-21 17:15
Report number
Location
NY, MONROE
Narrative
On 8/21/2019 rge was called to investigate gas odor by a customer at 52 illinois st, rochester ny. After surveying outside area, the rg&e crew determined the odor was originating from 64 illinois st. The rg&e crew knocked on door of 64 illinois st however no-one answered the door to provide the company access to the building. The rge crew requested fire department assistance to gain building access. Fire dept arrived and prior to building entry an explosion in the house occurred. The single family building at 64 illinois st, rochester, ny was destroyed and the explosion caused exterior damage to adjacent residential building. Fire dept. Actions following the explosion identified a human body in the basement of 64 illinois st. Rge and fire dept personnel on scene identified that the service regulator upstream of the company meter appeared to have been intentionally tampered with/disassembled that would have released natural gas into the building. As part of the companies normal control room notification procedures, the nrc was notified on 8/21/2019 (report # 1255972) however the company did not consider it reportable to PHMSA since there was no component failure or contributing company cause of the event. Subsequent discussion with nys psc safety staff suggested rg&e request clarification from PHMSA (request sent on 10/10/2019, response from mr. Peter katchmar on 10/16/2019). Mr. Katchmar indicated this was a reportable event.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2019-08-21 17:15:00
Year
2019
Report Received Date
2019-11-01 00:00:00
Iyear
2019.0
Report Number
20190124.0
Supplemental Number
32890.0
Report Type
Original Final
Operator Id
17570
Name
Rochester Gas & Electric Corp
Operator Street Address
180 South Clinton Avenue
Operator City Name
Rochester
Operator State Abbreviation
NY
Operator Postal Code
14607
Local Datetime
2019-08-21 17:17:00
Location Street Address
64 Illinois St
Location City Name
Rochester
Location County Name
Monroe
Location State Abbreviation
NY
Location Postal Code
14609
Location Latitude
43.15782
Location Longitude
-77.559743
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2019-08-21 20:38:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1255972
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
0.9
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
14.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2019-08-21 17:15:00
On Site Datetime
2019-08-21 17:31:00
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
Inside Meter/regulator Set
Installation Year
1996.0
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Aluminum (Service Regulator)
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Intentional Disassembly Of The Service Regulator Upstream Of The Meter By The Building Occupant/customer. Disassembly Of The Service Regulator Resulted In A Direct Release Of Gas Into The Basement Of The Building
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
100000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
2500.0
Est Cost Emergency
2500.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Other Details
No Additional Estimated Costs
Est Cost Unintentional Release
21.0
Prpty
105021.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
1.0
Accident Psig
10.0
Normal Psig
10.0
Mop Psig
12.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Public
Investigation Status
No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate)
Investigation Status Details
Fire department identification that the service regulator inside the building had visible signs that it had been tampered with and was not in it's normally expected configuration.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Other Outside Force Damage
Cause Details
Intentional Damage
Outside Force Type
Intentional Damage
Intentional Subtype
Vandalism
Preparer Name
B**** K********
Preparer Title
Gas Engineering Manager
Preparer Email
B**************@r**.com
Preparer Telephone
5857714143
Authorizer Name
B**** K********
Authorizer Title
Gas Engineering Manager
Authorizer Telephone
5857714143
Authorizer Email
B**************@r**.com
Narrative
On 8/21/2019 rge was called to investigate gas odor by a customer at 52 illinois st, rochester ny. After surveying outside area, the rg&e crew determined the odor was originating from 64 illinois st. The rg&e crew knocked on door of 64 illinois st however no-one answered the door to provide the company access to the building. The rge crew requested fire department assistance to gain building access. Fire dept arrived and prior to building entry an explosion in the house occurred. The single family building at 64 illinois st, rochester, ny was destroyed and the explosion caused exterior damage to adjacent residential building. Fire dept. Actions following the explosion identified a human body in the basement of 64 illinois st. Rge and fire dept personnel on scene identified that the service regulator upstream of the company meter appeared to have been intentionally tampered with/disassembled that would have released natural gas into the building. As part of the companies normal control room notification procedures, the nrc was notified on 8/21/2019 (report # 1255972) however the company did not consider it reportable to PHMSA since there was no component failure or contributing company cause of the event. Subsequent discussion with nys psc safety staff suggested rg&e request clarification from PHMSA (request sent on 10/10/2019, response from mr. Peter katchmar on 10/16/2019). Mr. Katchmar indicated this was a reportable event.
| Occurred At | 2019-08-21 17:15:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2019 |
| Report Received Date | 2019-11-01 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2019.0 |
| Report Number | 20190124.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 32890.0 |
| Report Type | Original Final |
| Operator Id | 17570 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Rochester Gas & Electric Corp |
| Operator Street Address | 180 South Clinton Avenue |
| Operator City Name | Rochester |
| Operator State Abbreviation | NY |
| Operator Postal Code | 14607 |
| Local Datetime | 2019-08-21 17:17:00 |
| Location Street Address | 64 Illinois St |
| Location City Name | Rochester |
| Location County Name | Monroe |
| Location State Abbreviation | NY |
| Location Postal Code | 14609 |
| Location Latitude | 43.15782 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -77.559743 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2019-08-21 20:38:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1255972 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 0.9 |
| 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 | 14.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2019-08-21 17:15:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2019-08-21 17:31:00 |
| 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 | Inside Meter/regulator Set |
| Installation Year | 1996.0 |
| Material Involved | Other |
| Material Details | Aluminum (Service Regulator) |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Intentional Disassembly Of The Service Regulator Upstream Of The Meter By The Building Occupant/customer. Disassembly Of The Service Regulator Resulted In A Direct Release Of Gas Into The Basement Of The Building |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 100000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 2500.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 2500.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | No Additional Estimated Costs |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 21.0 |
| Prpty | 105021.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 1.0 |
| Accident Psig | 10.0 |
| Normal Psig | 10.0 |
| Mop Psig | 12.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Public |
| Investigation Status | No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate) |
| Investigation Status Details | Fire department identification that the service regulator inside the building had visible signs that it had been tampered with and was not in it's normally expected configuration. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Other Outside Force Damage |
| Cause Details | Intentional Damage |
| Outside Force Type | Intentional Damage |
| Intentional Subtype | Vandalism |
| Preparer Name | B**** K******** |
| Preparer Title | Gas Engineering Manager |
| Preparer Email | B**************@r**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 5857714143 |
| Authorizer Name | B**** K******** |
| Authorizer Title | Gas Engineering Manager |
| Authorizer Telephone | 5857714143 |
| Authorizer Email | B**************@r**.com |
| Narrative | On 8/21/2019 rge was called to investigate gas odor by a customer at 52 illinois st, rochester ny. After surveying outside area, the rg&e crew determined the odor was originating from 64 illinois st. The rg&e crew knocked on door of 64 illinois st however no-one answered the door to provide the company access to the building. The rge crew requested fire department assistance to gain building access. Fire dept arrived and prior to building entry an explosion in the house occurred. The single family building at 64 illinois st, rochester, ny was destroyed and the explosion caused exterior damage to adjacent residential building. Fire dept. Actions following the explosion identified a human body in the basement of 64 illinois st. Rge and fire dept personnel on scene identified that the service regulator upstream of the company meter appeared to have been intentionally tampered with/disassembled that would have released natural gas into the building. As part of the companies normal control room notification procedures, the nrc was notified on 8/21/2019 (report # 1255972) however the company did not consider it reportable to PHMSA since there was no component failure or contributing company cause of the event. Subsequent discussion with nys psc safety staff suggested rg&e request clarification from PHMSA (request sent on 10/10/2019, response from mr. Peter katchmar on 10/16/2019). Mr. Katchmar indicated this was a reportable event. |
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