AVISTA CORP

Incident Narrative

THIS REPORT ADDRESSES THE TELEPHONIC REPORT THAT JODY MOREHOUSE MADE TO YOU ON AUGUST 26TH, 2010 AT 20:15. ON THAT DAY AT 17:15, AVISTA WAS NOTIFIED OF A FIRE AT 825 OAK KNOLL DR. IN ASHLAND, OR (JACKSON COUNTY). THIS WAS REPORTED TO DOT BECAUSE OF THE RELEASE OF GAS COMBINED WITH THE TOTAL COST OF THE INCIDENT BEING IN EXCESS OF $50,000. AN AVISTA FIRST RESPONDER ARRIVED ON SITE AT 17:30 BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET TO THE HOMES DUE TO THE FIRE. A TWO INCH STEEL DISTRIBUTION MAIN WAS SQUEEZED TO SHUT OFF GAS TO THE AREA AT 21:37, THIS SHUT OFF GAS SERVICE TO EIGHT HOMES. GAS SERVICE WAS RESTORED TO FIVE OF THE HOMES BY 12:29 ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2010. THE OTHER THREE SERVICES WERE NOT RESTORED BECAUSE THE HOMES AND THEIR METER SETS WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. NO FURTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED TO OUR SYSTEM AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. GAS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, BUT NOT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE IS BELIEVED TO BE A GRASS FIRE FROM A NEARBY FIELD. PER THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT; 30-40 HOMES WERE EVACUATED, 11 HOMES WERE DESTROYED, NO FATALITIES OR HOSPITALIZATIONS. THE TOTAL COST OF THE INCIDENT IS ESTIMATED AT $4,405,743 (11 HOMES LOST, WORTH APPROX $400,000 EACH + AVISTA COSTS OF $5,743 FROM PART D). THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HOMES IS AN ESTIMATE BECAUSE THIS IS PRIVATE INFORMATION BETWEEN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THE HOMEOWNERS.