ELIZABETHTOWN GAS CO
gas_distribution Incident — UNION, NJ — May 15, 2012
Incident Information
| Incident Date | May 15, 2012 |
| Operator | ELIZABETHTOWN GAS CO |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | UNION |
| State | NJ |
| County | UNION |
| Coordinates | 40.69168, -74.24858 |
Cause
| Cause | INCORRECT OPERATION |
| Subcause | OTHER INCORRECT OPERATION |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $0 |
| Emergency Response | $313 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"OPERATOR'S MAIN AND SERVICE INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR WAS WORKING ON DEAD ENDED 4"" LOW PRESSURE (LP) STEEL MAIN. A CONTRACTOR CREW MEMBER REMOVED A DRIP SADDLE TO ACCESS THE TAP HOLE IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE TAP SIZE. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE CREW TO STOP THE FLOW OF GAS AND TO CONNECT A NEWLY INSTALLED EXTENSION TO THE MAIN. AFTER REMOVING THE SADDLE, THE CREWMEMBER ATTEMPTED TO ENLARGE THE HOLE USING A DRILL. AN IGNITION AND FLASH OCCURRED. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY EXTINGUISHED AND THE TAP HOLE RE-SEALED TO STOP THE FLOW. TWO CONTRACTOR WORKERS WERE INJURED IN THE FLASH. ONE WAS HELD AT THE HOSPITAL FOR FOUR DAYS FOR TREATMENT AND OBSERVATION."
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.