ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS, INC

Incident Narrative

ENTERGY EMPLOYEE, EVERETT JOHNSON, RESPONDED TO A FIRE CALL BY THE NEW ORLEANS FIRE DEPARTMENT (NOFD). AFTER ARRIVING ON LOCATION, EMPLOYEE CONFIRMED WITH THE FIRE CHIEF ON SITE, LARRY WHITE, THAT GAS WAS INVOLVED AND THAT THERE WERE THREE INJURIES. ONE CONTRACTOR, MIGUEL MEJIA, WHO RECEIVED 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS HANDS, ARMS AND FACE, AND TWO FIREMEN, PETER EVERRETT AND NEAL DUGAS, WHO BOTH RECEIVED 1ST DEGREE BURNS TO THE FACIAL AREA. EMPLOYEE NOTIFIED HIS SUPERVISOR, DAVID HOFFMAN, WHO RESPONDED TO THE LOCATION WITH SUPERVISOR LOUIS LAFOURCADE. AFTER CONDUCTING INITIAL INVESTIGATION, SUPERVISORS DETERMINED THAT THE CONTRACTOR WAS CUTTING ALL PIPING FROM UNDER THE HOUSE TO PREPARE IT FOR RAISING. THE CONTRACTOR CUT THROUGH THE LIVE 1 1/2 UP (UTILIZATION PRESSURE OR 7""WATER COLUMN) GAS RISER ON THE 2123 SIDE OF THE DOUBLE UNIT WITH AN ELECTRIC SAWS-ALL. AFTER THE PIPE WAS CUT, THE SAWS-ALL IGNITED THE BLOWING GAS UNDER THE HOUSE. AT THIS TIME, THE FIRE DEPT. WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FIRE. THE FIREMEN WERE INJURED AFTER THE GAS FIRE WAS OUT HOWEVER IT REIGNITED TWICE BY THE BURNING WOOD IN THE HOUSE, FLASHING THE TWO FIREMEN BEFORE THEY COULD DRIVE A WOODEN PLUG INTO THE OPEN GAS RISER. GAS MAINTENANCE CREWS WERE NOTIFIED TO CUT SERVICE OFF IN THE SIDEWALK AREA.