NORTHERN STATES POWER CO OF MINNESOTA

Incident Narrative

THE HOUSE FIRE CAUSED THE PE SERVICE LINE TO MELT. THE FIRE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND NO FINAL REPORT HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRE MARSHAL. UPDATED FEBRUARY 11, 2013: THIS UPDATE IS BASED PRIMARILY ON THE MINNESOTA STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S INVESTIGATION REPORT. WE AGREE WITH THE CONCLUSION IN THE REPORT THAT THE FIRE WAS ACCIDENTAL. THE AREA OF ORIGIN FOR THE FIRE WAS INSIDE THE RESIDENCE. THE FIRST MATERIAL THAT IGNITED WAS NATURAL GAS VAPORS THAT HAD LEECHED INTO THE RESIDENCE AFTER A GAS SERVICE LINE HAD BEEN CRACKED OR BROKEN. THE SPECIFIC LOCATION OF THE LEAK COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BECAUSE THE RISER AND A SEGMENT OF THE SERVICE WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. WHILE THE EXACT IGNITION FACTOR IS NOT KNOWN, ANY APPLIANCE THAT WOULD CYCLE ON OR OFF WOULD LIKELY HAVE PROVIDED SUFFICIENT ENERGY TO IGNITE THE NATURAL GAS/AIR MIXTURE ONCE IT HAD REACHED THE LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT. WITH RESPECT TO THE BROKEN OR CRACKED GAS SERVICE LINE THAT RESULTED IN THE GAS LEAK, WE KNOW THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN THE PRECEDING 4 YEARS, THE RESIDENT HAD FILLED A SINK-TYPE OF HOLE IN THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE HOME THAT WAS ABOVE THE GAS LINE AND NEAR THE METER. THE SETTLING OF THE SOIL IN THAT HOLE COULD HAVE PUT STRESS ON THE GAS LINE. IN ADDITION, IN THE DAY (OR DAYS) BEFORE THE FIRE, A MEMBER OF THE RESIDENT'S FAMILY HAD ADDED CLASS FIVE ROCK TO THE TOP OF THE SINK HOLE AREA AND THEN PACKED IT DOWN WITH A BOBCAT, WHICH MAY HAVE ADDED TO OR CREATED STRESS ON THE GAS LINE, POSSIBLY ENOUGH TO CRACK OR BREAK IT AT THAT TIME. XCEL ENERGY DOES NOT HAVE RECORDS OF THIS CUSTOMER CONTACTING US FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE SINK HOLE NEAR THE GAS LINE, OR MAKING US AWARE OF ANY RELATED PROBLEMS. OUR RECORDS REVEAL THAT THE METER LOCATION AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL LOCATION OF THE METER. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE METER WAS MOVED BY AN UNKNOWN PARTY, NOT XCEL ENERGY, TO MAKE ROOM FOR A GARAGE ADDITION ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE HOUSE APPROXIMATELY 2007. THE SERVICE LINE TO THIS LOCATION WILL BE RUN AT THE REQUEST OF THE CUSTOMER AFTER HOME IS REBUILT.