BLACK HILLS ENERGY

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 7:45 A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE ROUNDING THE CORNER OF INTERSECTION FIRST STREET AND SOUTH ELM AVENUE, MILFORD NE WAS DISTRACTED, THE VEHICLE LEFT ROADWAY AND WAS LAUNCHED AIR BORNE FOR A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE IMPACTING A DISTRICT REGULATING STATION (DRS). THE IMPACT FRACTURED A 2' BY-PASS VALVE. 911 CALLED, MILFORD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, MILFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED. BLACK HILLS ENERGY WAS CONTACT BY 911 CALL CENTER AND BHE PERSONNEL DISPATCHED. MILFORD MUNICIPAL UTILITIES WERE ALSO DISPATCHED TO AREA. FIRST RESPONDING AGENTS INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BACKED OFF AND AWAY FROM REGULATING STATION AND WAS SITTING IN THE STREET (ELM STREET). DRIVER NOT INJURED. FIRST RESPONDING BHE PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT 0810 HOURS, ASSESSED SITUATION AND ELECTED TO ALLOW GAS TO FEED, MONITOR AREA AND PREPARE FOR DISRUPTION OF SERVICE TO MOST OF THE SYSTEM. GAS FLOW WAS SHUT-OFF TO THE DRS AT 0902, DISRUPTING SERVICE TO SOME 800 CUSTOMERS. BHE IMPLEMENTED INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM, HEAD QUARTERED AT MILFORD CITY LIBRARY. AT APPROXIMATELY 0950 HOURS A MEETING WAS CONDUCTED BY BLACK HILLS ENERGY WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS, FIRE DEPT. POLICE DEPART. CITY UTILITIES. BHE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL EXPOSED INLET PIPING, MADE REPAIRS TO BY-PASS VALVE, CONDUCTED LEAKAGE TESTS AND STATION REGULATING/RELIEF DEVICE INSPECTION. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT SERVICE WAS RESTORED TO ALL 840 AFFECTED CUSTOMERS.