COLUMBIA GAS OF MASSACHUSETTS
gas_distribution Incident — MARSHFIELD, MA — February 16, 2015
Incident Information
| Incident Date | February 16, 2015 |
| Operator | COLUMBIA GAS OF MASSACHUSETTS |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | MARSHFIELD |
| State | MA |
| County | PLYMOUTH |
| Coordinates | 42.10473, -70.75984 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $1,000 |
| Emergency Response | $1,000 |
| Other Costs | $600 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
THERE WAS A BUILD UP OF SNOW AND ICE ON THE METER SET CAUSING THE RISER AFTER THE INSULATED UNION TO BREAK RESULTING IN A RELEASE OF GAS. THE RELEASE OF GAS IGNITED RESULTING IN A FIRE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. PART C SUBPART 2A & 4 ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SERVICE LINE. THE COMPANY WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THE SNOW BUILD UP OCCURRED (I.E. WHETHER IT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH NATURAL FORCE OR A 3RD PARTY).THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS WHICH RESULTED IN A DELAYED NRC CALL BEING MADE. THE COMPANY HAS SINCE IMPLEMENTED ANNUAL TRAINING TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS EDUCATION ON THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AT BOTH A STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
About This Pipeline Incident
Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.