TEXAS GAS SERVICE COMPANY, A DIVISION OF ONE GAS, INC.

gas_distribution Incident — EL PASO, TX

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorTEXAS GAS SERVICE COMPANY, A DIVISION OF ONE GAS, INC.
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityEL PASO
StateTX
CountyEL PASO
Coordinates31.68780, -106.33401

Cause

CauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries1

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

POST-INCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A 2-INCH PE PIPE WAS MOST LIKELY PUNCTURED WHEN A RESIDENT'S PLUMBER USED A MECHANICAL TOOL TO CLEAR A CLOGGED SEWER LATERAL. THE GAS PIPE HAD BEEN INADVERTENTLY CROSS-BORED THROUGH THE SEWER LATERAL BY THE ORIGINAL GAS LINE INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR IN 2017. CAMERA INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED ON THE REMAINDER OF THE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION PROJECT AND NO ADDITIONAL AREAS WERE DISCOVERED TO HAVE CROSS-BORES. TEXAS GAS SERVICE COMPANY'S PUBLIC AWARENESS TO THE AFFECTED PUBLIC INCLUDES OUTREACH ON THE POSSIBILITY OF CROSS-BORES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 5/19/23 TGS SELECTED 20:40 AS THE EARLIEST LOCAL TIME THAT THE INCIDENT REPORTING CRITERIA WERE MET BASED ON ITS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION THAT NATURAL GAS FROM ITS SYSTEM WAS LIKELY TO HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE AND THE PRESUMPTION THAT ONE OF THE HOME'S OCCUPANTS COULD BE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR CARE OR THAT THE TOTAL COST OF DAMAGES COULD EXCEED $129,300. WHILE THE ORIGINAL TELEPHONIC REPORT TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER NOTED THE POTENTIAL THAT AN EXPLOSION HAD OCCURRED, THE INVESTIGATION MADE NO OBSERVATIONS OR FORMAL REPORTS OF AN EXPLOSION.

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.

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