CHESAPEAKE UTILITY CORP

Incident Narrative

A FRUITLAND POLICE OFFICER WENT INTO THE FRUITLAND PUBLIC WORKS COMPOUND LOCATED AT 200 SHADY LANE AROUND 2:00 AM ON JANUARY 31, 2011 TO FUEL HIS POLICE CRUISER AND NOTICED SOME SMOKE AND SMOULDERING DEBRIS. HE NOTIFIED THE FRUITLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND PUT OUT THE REMAINING HOT SPOTS AND COOL DOWN THE STRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT. FIRE WAS DETECTED AROUND THE SERVICE RISER TO THE BUILDING AND WE WERE NOTIFIED BY WICOMICO COUNTY 911 CENTER. OUR ON-CALL METER TECH RESPONDED AND NOTED THAT THE GREASE HAD MELTED OUT OF THE 3/4"" SERVICE STOP AND DETECTED THE SMELL OF GAS. HE NOTICED THAT SOME GAS WAS BUBBLING THROUGH THE WATER FROM THE SERVICE RISER NEAR THE FENCE. HE CALLED OUT OUR ON-CALL CONSTRUCTION CREW WHO HAND DUG AROUND THE RISER AND SQUEEZED OFF THE 3/4"" PE SERVICE AND CAPPED IT OFF. THEY DUG THE RISER OUT AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE SHOP FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE INSERTED TUBE WAS CUT OFF THE RISER AND SHOWED A SMALL PINHOLE THAT HAD FORMED DUE TO THE HEAT. THE GAS FROM THE PINHOLE TRAVELLED DOWN THE CASING PIPE AND OUT THE BOOT AND VENTED THROUGH THE GROUND AND WATER PUDDLES BUT DID NOT IGNITE. MARYLAND STATE FIRE MARSHALL S. P. MASON INVESTIGATED THE INCIDENT AND CONCLUDED THAT THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS AN EXTENSION CORD GOING TO A BATTERY TRICKLE CHARGER ON A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IN THE STRUCTURE AND THAT NATURAL GAS WAS NOT A CAUSE. THE BUILDING CONTAINED A BACKHOE, SEVERAL TRACTORS, COMPRESSORS, ZERO-TURN LAWN MOWERS, ETC. WHICH WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. THE INCIDENT WAS REALIZED AT 11:06 AS A RESULT OF OUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE DAMAGES BY THE FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGER AND WAS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL CALL CENTER AT 11:16. THE MARYLAND PSC WAS NOTIFIED AT 11:24.