PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 0050 HOURS ON JANUARY 8, 2011 THERE WAS A STRUCTURE FIRE AT 4309 PRAIRIE CREEK WAY, MODESTO. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PRELIMINARY ON-SITE REPORT, THE RESIDENT AT THIS ADDRESS HAD CLEANED OUT A FIREPLACE AND PLACED ASHES IN A CONTAINER NEAR THE GARAGE AND GAS METER. THE ASHES STARTED A FIRE IN THE CONTAINER THAT SPREAD TO THE GARAGE AND GAS METER. AS A RESULT, PART OF THE HOME WAS DAMAGED AND THE GAS METER SET MELTED RELEASING NATURAL GAS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED PG&E OF THIS INCIDENT AT APPROXIMATELY 0050 HOURS. PG&E'S GAS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (GSR) ARRIVED ON-SITE AT APPROXIMATELY 0143 HOURS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE PRIOR TO PG&E'S ARRIVAL AND HAD TURNED OFF GAS AT THE RISER VALVE: HOWEVER, HEAT FROM THE FIRE HAD DAMAGED THE SHUT OFF VALVE. A CREW WAS DISPATCHED AND SQUEEZED OFF THE SERVICE, STOPPING THE FLOW OF GAS AT APPROXIMATELY 0345 HOURS. THE INCIDENT WAS DEEMED TO BE REPORTABLE AT 0308 HOURS DUE TO AN ESTIMATE OF THE DAMAGES TO THE HOME EXCEEDING $50,000. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, NO FATALITIES, AND NO MEDIA AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. PG&E NOTIFIED THE DOT AT 0336 HOURS AND THE CPUC AT 0341 HOURS. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS OFFICIALLY UNDETERMINED. SERVICE WILL BE RESTORED ONCE REPAIRS ARE MADE TO THE HOME.