ORANGE & ROCKLAND UTILITY INC

Incident Narrative

NYACK COLLEGE IS A CAMPUS COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE BUILDINGS. ORANGE & ROCKLAND UTILITIES PROVIDES NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRIC SERVICES TO A NUMBER OF THE BUILDINGS INCLUDING 177 SOUTH HIGHLAND AVENUE KNOWN AS SKY ISLAND LODGE AND 154 SOUTH HIGHLAND AVENUE KNOWN AS BOWMAN GYMNASIUM. ON TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2013 AT APPROXIAMATELY 1155 THE GAS EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTER (GERC) RECEIVED A CALL FROM ROCKLAND COUNTY FIRE CONTROL OF A GAS EXPLOSION AT THE SKY ISLAND LODGE. GERC IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED ALL AVAILABLE UNITS. THE FIRST TWO RESPONDERS ARRIVED AT 1205 AND 1206 RESPECTIVELY. A STRONG ODOR OF GAS WAS PRESENT IN THE AIR AND GAS VAPORS COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM THE SEWER CLEAN OUT LOCATED ALONG THE CURBLINE OF 177 SOUTH HIGHLAND AVENUE, THE SKY ISLAND LODGE. THE O&R SERVICEMEN IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A LEAK INVESTIGATION. HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF GAS WERE DETECTED IN THE OUTDOOR SEWER CLEAN-OUTS, CATCH BASIN AND SEWER MANHOLE. THERE WERE NO GAS READINGS IN THE TEST POINTS TAKEN IN THE EARTH. COVERS ON THE SEWER CLEAN OUTS AND MANHOLES WERE REMOVED ALLOWING THESE STRUCTURES TO VENT. AT 1211, A 7% GAS-IN-AIR READING WAS RECORDED IN ATMOSHERE INSIDE THE DAMAGED BUILDING AT 177 SOUTH HIGHLAND. THE SERVICE TO THIS BUILDING WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND ISOLATED. THE ELECTRIC CONTROL CENTER WAS CONTACTED TO DE-ENERGIZE THE AREA AT 1234. 258 WERE AFFECTED. GAS MAIN VALVES WERE IDENTIFIED AND CLOSED TO ISOLATE THE AREA AFFECTING 33 CUSTOMERS. UPON INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A MAINTENANCE WORKER CONTRACTED BY NYACK COLLEGE WAS PERFORMING SOME GRADING OF THE PROPERTY BEHIND 154 SOUTH HIGHLAND, THE BOWMAAN GYM THE MORNING OF THE EXPLOSION. THIS WORKER, USING A BACKHOE, PULLED ON THE 2"" STEEL GAS SERVICE FOR THE BOWMAN GYM CAUSING IT TO PULL FROM A CONNECTING COUPLING CAUSING GAS TO LEAK. THE GAS THEN MIGRATED THROUGH A STORM DRAIN INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE SKY ISLAND LODGE. AN UNCAPPED, OPEN SEWER TRAP WAS DISCOVERED IN THE BASEMENT OF THE SKY ISLAND LODGE. THIS WAS DEEMED THE POINT OF ENTRY INTO THE BUILDING FOR THE GAS. THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED SHORTLY THEREAFTER.