PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF NORTH CAROLINA
gas_distribution Incident — CHAPEL HILL, NC — February 21, 2011
Incident Information
| Incident Date | February 21, 2011 |
| Operator | PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF NORTH CAROLINA |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | CHAPEL HILL |
| State | NC |
| County | ORANGE COUNTY |
| Coordinates | 35.96393, -79.04914 |
Cause
| Cause | INCORRECT OPERATION |
| Subcause | OTHER INCORRECT OPERATION |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $0 |
| Emergency Response | $0 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE PURGED RESIDUAL NATURAL GAS WITH FORCED AIR OUT OF PIPE THAT WAS BEING ABANDONED INTO AN EXCAVATION WHERE TWO CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES WERE WRAPPING PIPE. THE NATURAL GAS/AIR MIXTURE WAS IGNITED BY OPEN FLAME ON A PROPANE TORCH THAT THE TWO CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES WERE USING TO WRAP PIPE.
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.