Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2021-01-25 — NM
Operator
New Mexico Gas Company
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$1,964
Incident datetime
2021-01-25 10:40
Report number
Location
NM, BERNALILLO
Narrative
A local plumbing company was performing work at a residence at 1241 princeton dr. N.E., albuquerque, nm and reported the locknut shut off valve broke while turning off the flow of gas to the nmgc meter. Upon investigation, one of the plumbers said that they were disconnecting a heater from the house piping and said he smelled gas and identified a leak. He immediately proceeded out of the house to turn off the gas supply. Specifically, during his attempt to turn the locknut shut-off valve, the plumber caused the threads of the brass core of the shut-off valve to be sheared off at the nut connection. The result caused high pressure gas to vent to atmosphere. At 10:53 a.M., albuquerque fire called nmgc to advise the house exploded. Bar hole testing indicated no gas around the perimeter of the home and surrounding residences. 5 residences were evacuated. Readings confirmed proper odorant at 0.33% gas-in-air. Final investigation determined the crawl space vent was in close proximity to the riser. Gas venting to atmosphere from the sheared off nut connection migrated above ground into the crawl space and was ignited by a heater in the crawl space causing the explosion.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2021-01-25 10:40:00
Year
2021
Report Received Date
2021-02-24 00:00:00
Iyear
2021.0
Report Number
20210023.0
Supplemental Number
35920.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
6141
Name
New Mexico Gas Company
Operator Street Address
7120 Wyoming Blvd N.e. Suite 20
Operator City Name
Albuquerque
Operator State Abbreviation
NM
Operator Postal Code
87109
Local Datetime
2021-01-25 10:40:00
Time Zone
Mountain
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Street Address
1241 Princeton Drive N.e.
Location City Name
Albuquerque
Location County Name
Bernalillo
Location State Abbreviation
NM
Location Postal Code
87106
Location Latitude
35.095437
Location Longitude
-106.614959
Flow Cont Other Ind
Yes
Flow Cont Other Detail
Stopped Flow At Service Stop Tee On Main
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2021-01-25 12:16:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1296674
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
1.0
Intentional Release
0.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Ignite Datetime
2021-01-25 10:53:00
How Extinguished
Local/state/federal Emergency Responder
Gas Consumed By Fire In Mcf
1
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
5.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2021-01-25 10:40:00
Communication State Fed Ind
Yes
Party Initiated Communication
Local/state/federal Emergency Responder
Initial Responder Com Datetime
2021-01-25 10:53:00
On Site Datetime
2021-01-25 11:11:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance (E.g. Value Or Regulator Station, Outdoor Meter Set)
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Service Riser
Installation Year
1947.0
Customer Type
Single Family Residential
Was Efv Installed Before Ind
No
Curb Valve Inst Before Inc Ind
No
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Fitting
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
During The Plumber's Attempt To Turn The Locknut Shut-Off Valve, The Plumber Caused The Threads Of The Brass Core Of The Shut-Off Valve To Be Sheared Off At The Nut Connection. The Result Caused High Pressure Gas To Vent To Atmosphere.
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
250000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
1964.0
Est Cost Emergency
0.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Other Details
More Costs May Be Added Or Changed
Gas Cost In Mcf
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Est Cost Intentional Release
0.0
Prpty
251964.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
5.0
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0.0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0.0
Num Resident Building Affctd
5.0
Num Business Building Affctd
0.0
Accident Psig
60.0
Normal Psig
60.0
Mop Psig
60.0
Mop Cfr Section
192.619(A)(4)
Maop Established Date
2015-11-19 00:00:00
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Gas Odorized System Type
Injection Pump
Gas Odorized Level
0.3
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Third Party That Caused The Incident
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
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Valve
Eq Failure Type
Valve
Valve Other Ind
Other
Valve Other Details
During The Plumber's Attempt To Turn The Locknut Shut-Off Valve, The Plumber Caused The Threads Of The Brass Core Of The Shut-Off Valve To Be Sheared Off At The Nut Connection.
Preparer Name
A***** M*******
Preparer Title
Pipeline Safety Management Systems Manager
Preparer Email
A**************@n****.com
Preparer Telephone
505-427-6343
Local Contact Name
A***** M*******
Local Contact Email
A**************@n****.com
Local Contact Telephone
505-697-3518
Authorizer Name
T** B******
Authorizer Title
Vp Eng-Gas Mgmt-Tech Services
Authorizer Telephone
505-697-3599
Authorizer Email
T**********@n****.com
Narrative
A local plumbing company was performing work at a residence at 1241 princeton dr. N.E., albuquerque, nm and reported the locknut shut off valve broke while turning off the flow of gas to the nmgc meter. Upon investigation, one of the plumbers said that they were disconnecting a heater from the house piping and said he smelled gas and identified a leak. He immediately proceeded out of the house to turn off the gas supply. Specifically, during his attempt to turn the locknut shut-off valve, the plumber caused the threads of the brass core of the shut-off valve to be sheared off at the nut connection. The result caused high pressure gas to vent to atmosphere. At 10:53 a.M., albuquerque fire called nmgc to advise the house exploded. Bar hole testing indicated no gas around the perimeter of the home and surrounding residences. 5 residences were evacuated. Readings confirmed proper odorant at 0.33% gas-in-air. Final investigation determined the crawl space vent was in close proximity to the riser. Gas venting to atmosphere from the sheared off nut connection migrated above ground into the crawl space and was ignited by a heater in the crawl space causing the explosion.
| Occurred At | 2021-01-25 10:40:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2021 |
| Report Received Date | 2021-02-24 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2021.0 |
| Report Number | 20210023.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 35920.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 6141 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | New Mexico Gas Company |
| Operator Street Address | 7120 Wyoming Blvd N.e. Suite 20 |
| Operator City Name | Albuquerque |
| Operator State Abbreviation | NM |
| Operator Postal Code | 87109 |
| Local Datetime | 2021-01-25 10:40:00 |
| Time Zone | Mountain |
| Daylight Savings Ind | Yes |
| Location Street Address | 1241 Princeton Drive N.e. |
| Location City Name | Albuquerque |
| Location County Name | Bernalillo |
| Location State Abbreviation | NM |
| Location Postal Code | 87106 |
| Location Latitude | 35.095437 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -106.614959 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Flow Cont Other Ind | Yes |
| Flow Cont Other Detail | Stopped Flow At Service Stop Tee On Main |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2021-01-25 12:16:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1296674 NRC Report How to search |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 1.0 |
| Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Ignite Datetime | 2021-01-25 10:53:00 |
| How Extinguished | Local/state/federal Emergency Responder |
| Gas Consumed By Fire In Mcf | 1 |
| Explode Ind | Yes |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 5.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2021-01-25 10:40:00 |
| Communication State Fed Ind | Yes |
| Party Initiated Communication | Local/state/federal Emergency Responder |
| Initial Responder Com Datetime | 2021-01-25 10:53:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2021-01-25 11:11:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Private Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance (E.g. Value Or Regulator Station, Outdoor Meter Set) |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Investor Owned |
| System Part Involved | Service Riser |
| Installation Year | 1947.0 |
| Customer Type | Single Family Residential |
| Was Efv Installed Before Ind | No |
| Curb Valve Inst Before Inc Ind | No |
| Material Involved | Other |
| Material Details | Fitting |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | During The Plumber's Attempt To Turn The Locknut Shut-Off Valve, The Plumber Caused The Threads Of The Brass Core Of The Shut-Off Valve To Be Sheared Off At The Nut Connection. The Result Caused High Pressure Gas To Vent To Atmosphere. |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 250000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 1964.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | More Costs May Be Added Or Changed |
| Gas Cost In Mcf | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 251964.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 5.0 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0.0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0.0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 5.0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 60.0 |
| Normal Psig | 60.0 |
| Mop Psig | 60.0 |
| Mop Cfr Section | 192.619(A)(4) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 2015-11-19 00:00:00 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Gas Odorized System Type | Injection Pump |
| Gas Odorized Level | 0.3 |
| Scada In Place Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Third Party That Caused The Incident |
| 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 | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Valve |
| Eq Failure Type | Valve |
| Valve Other Ind | Other |
| Valve Other Details | During The Plumber's Attempt To Turn The Locknut Shut-Off Valve, The Plumber Caused The Threads Of The Brass Core Of The Shut-Off Valve To Be Sheared Off At The Nut Connection. |
| Preparer Name | A***** M******* |
| Preparer Title | Pipeline Safety Management Systems Manager |
| Preparer Email | A**************@n****.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 505-427-6343 |
| Local Contact Name | A***** M******* |
| Local Contact Email | A**************@n****.com |
| Local Contact Telephone | 505-697-3518 |
| Authorizer Name | T** B****** |
| Authorizer Title | Vp Eng-Gas Mgmt-Tech Services |
| Authorizer Telephone | 505-697-3599 |
| Authorizer Email | T**********@n****.com |
| Narrative | A local plumbing company was performing work at a residence at 1241 princeton dr. N.E., albuquerque, nm and reported the locknut shut off valve broke while turning off the flow of gas to the nmgc meter. Upon investigation, one of the plumbers said that they were disconnecting a heater from the house piping and said he smelled gas and identified a leak. He immediately proceeded out of the house to turn off the gas supply. Specifically, during his attempt to turn the locknut shut-off valve, the plumber caused the threads of the brass core of the shut-off valve to be sheared off at the nut connection. The result caused high pressure gas to vent to atmosphere. At 10:53 a.M., albuquerque fire called nmgc to advise the house exploded. Bar hole testing indicated no gas around the perimeter of the home and surrounding residences. 5 residences were evacuated. Readings confirmed proper odorant at 0.33% gas-in-air. Final investigation determined the crawl space vent was in close proximity to the riser. Gas venting to atmosphere from the sheared off nut connection migrated above ground into the crawl space and was ignited by a heater in the crawl space causing the explosion. |
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