SCOTTSBORO WATER SEWER & GAS BOARD

Incident Narrative

THIS INCIDENT OCCURED AT A PRIVATELY OWNED SERVICE STATION/CONVENIENCE STORE ON OCTOBER 20,2010.THE NATURAL GAS METER SET WAS LOCATED IN THE BACK CORNER OF THE PARKING LOT APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET FROM SIDE OF SERVICE STATION NEXT TO A UTILITY POLE. A PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE TRAVELED OFF THE PUBLIC ROADWAY ACROSS THE SERVICE STATION PARKING LOT.THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE NATURAL GAS METER SET BREAKING THE 3/4 INCH NIPPLE BETWEEN THE NATURAL GAS SERVICE LINE RISER VALVE (STOP COCK) AND THE GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR. NATURAL GAS RELEASE OCCURED AT THIS TIME. NATURAL GAS IGNITED ( IGNITION SOURCE UNKNOWN). BURNING VEHICLE AND BURNING NATURAL GAS IGNITED THE WOOD SIDING AND ROOF ON THE SERVICE STATION/CONVENIENCE STORE,AS WELL AS,THE UTILITY POLE. POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL WERE THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE. POLICE REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM GAS SYSTEM PERSONNEL WHO IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND CLOSED THE VALVE ON THE NATURAL GAS MAIN LINE STOPPING THE FLOW OF GAS TO THE SERVICE LINE AND BROKEN METER SET. FIREMAN EXTINGUSHED THE FIRE ON THE BURNING VEHICLE AND CONVENIENCE STORE. GAS SYSTEM PERSONNEL ISOLATED THE NATURAL GAS SERVICE LINE FOR THE SERVICE STATION/CONVENIENCE STORE FROM THE REST OF THE NATURAL GAS SYSTEM AND RESTORED SERVICE TO TWELVE RESIDENCES IN THE AREA THE SAME NIGHT. GAS SYSTEM PERSONNEL RESTORED THE SERVICE LINE/METER SET FOR THE CONVENIENCE STORE ON NOVEMBER 3, 2010. NO ONE WAS KILLED OR INJURED. NO ONE WAS HOSPITALIZED. THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S VEHICLE WAS $4000. THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO THE SERVICE STATION/CONVENIENCE STORE WAS APPROXIMATELY $250,000. POLICE ARRESTED THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS.