ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS, INC

Incident Narrative

ON SUNDAY APRIL 14, 2013 DISPATCH RECEIVED FIRE CALL FROM FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 17:03. FIRE CALL TICKET WAS GENERATED AND SENT TO SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 17:10. AT THIS TIME ENTERGY DID NOT KNOW IF GAS WAS INVOLVED IN THE FIRE. AT 17:40 SERVICE TECH WAS ALLOW TO APPROACH METER AN TURN OFF GAS. THIS IS THE TIME WE CONSIDER FIRST KNOWLDEGE OF GAS INVOLVEMENT. PHMSA STATE PARTNER LA DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, OFFICE OF CONSERVATION, PIPELINE DIVISION WAS CONTACTED AT 18:17; NRC WAS NOTIFIED AT 19:15. AT APPROXIMATELY 18:13,DUTY SUPERVISOR RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE GAS DISPATCHER REGARDING A GAS EXPLOSION LOCATED AT 1811 N. GALVEZ ST.DUTY SUPERVISOR ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AT 18:40. UPON ARRIVAL,HE OBSERVED THAT THE FIRE HAD BEEN CONTAINED. HE SPOKE TO THE FIRE CHIEF TO GET A SUMMARY OF WHAT HE HAD OBSERVED. FIRE CHIEF REPORTED THAT THE INITIAL FIRE STARTED IN THE KITCHEN BY THE FAMILY'S DOG. THE FIRE CHIEF REPORTED THAT THE DOG HIT THE FLEX LINE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE STOVE; THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE POSSIBLE EXPLOSION AND THE FIRE. DURING HIS INVESTIGATION, DUTY SUPERVISOR DISCOVERED THAT THE HOME OWNERS TAMPERED WITH ENTERGY'S GAS EQUIPMENT. A REGULATOR WAS COMING OUT OF THE GROUND WITH A NIPPLE ATTACHED TO IT. THE NIPPLE WAS GOING THROUGH THE HOME OWNER'S WALL. DUTY SUPERVISOR ALSO DISCOVERED A FLEX LINE CONNECTED TO THE NIPPLE WHICH WENT TO THE GAS METER HEADER. THIS ILLEGALLY SUPPLIED THE HOME WITH GAS. DUTY SUPERVSISOR CALLED OUT FOR A REPAIR CREW APPROXIMATELY 19:00 TO CUT THE GAS SERVICE OFF. THE CREW ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 19:49. DUTY SUPERVISOR ALSO PLACED A CALL OUT TO MEASUREMENT TO PERFORM AN ODOROMETER TEST. TECHNICIAN ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 20:33. TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A 1.5 ODORANT LEVEL IN THE PIPE. AT 19:04 HOMEOWNER STATED HER SON WAS IN THE KITCHEN WHEN THE FIRE STARTED.THE SON ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT CONTAINING THE FIRE. HOMEOWNER WAS TOLD BY HER SON THAT AFTER BEING UNSUCCESSFUL AT CONTAINING THE FIRE, HE DECIDED TO JUMP OUT OF THE WINDOW. HOMEOWNER ALSO REPORTED THAT HER DOG PERISHED IN THE FIRE. IN CONCLUSION, AT 19:12 DUTY SUPERVISOR SOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAPTAIN ON THE SCENE. DUTY SUPERVISOR ASKED CAPTAIN TO WITNESS (ENTERGY) REMOVE THE REGULATOR AND THE NIPPLE WHICH WAS CONNECTED TO THE FLEX LINE. CAPTAIN WAS ALSO ASKED TO WITNESS (ENTERGY) CRACK THE VALVE OPEN TO DETERMINE IF THE SMELL OF GAS WAS PRESENT. CA0PTAIN REPORTED THAT THE SMELL OF GAS WAS PRESENT.