CONSUMERS ENERGY CO

Incident Narrative

ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 08:48 HOURS, CONSUMERS ENERGY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM EMERGENCY PERSONNEL OF A HOUSE FIRE AT 1014 3RD STREET, BANGOR, (VAN BUREN COUNTY) MICHIGAN. A GAS SERVICE WORKER (GSW) WAS DISPATCHED AND ARRIVED AT THE SITE AT APPROXIMATELY 09:25 HOURS AND CONFIRMED THE STRUCTURE FIRE WITH A RELEASE AT THE NATURAL GAS EQUIPMENT (METER/RISER). THE GSW ADVISED A DISTRIBUTION CREW WOULD BE NEEDED TO CONTAIN THE BLOWING GAS. THE GSW BEGAN EXCAVATING AT A REMOTE LOCATION NEAR THE PIPELINE IN PREPARATION FOR SQUEEZING THE 5/8-INCH PLASTIC PIPELINE, THE PLASTIC PIPELINE (SERVICE) WAS INSERTED IN A STEEL PIPELINE MAKING IT NECESSARY FOR ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT UTILIZED BY GAS DISTRIBUTION. DISTRIBUTION ARRIVED ONSITE AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 HOURS AND SQUEEZED THE PIPELINE STOPPING GAS FROM BLOWING AT APPROXIMATELY 10:48 HOURS. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WERE ONSITE AND CONFIRMED ONE FATALITY AND MULTIPLE PERSONS REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION PERFORMED BY THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE CONFIRMED THE RELEASE AT THE NATURAL GAS EQUIPMENT (METER/RISER) WAS NOT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE NATURAL GAS EQUIPMENT WAS COMPROMISED BY THE STRUCTURE FIRE RESULTING IN A RELEASE AT THE NATURAL GAS EQUIPMENT. THIS REPORT IS BEING SUBMITTED BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE DETERMINED IF THE SECONDARY RELEASE AT THE NATURAL GAS FACILITIES CONTRIBUTED TO THE FATALITY.