CONSOLIDATED EDISON CO OF NEW YORK

Incident Narrative

"AT 18:41 ON JANUARY 26,2011 THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT (FDNY) REPORTED A SMALL EXPLOSION IN THE BASEMENT OF 28-29 209 PLACE, BAYSIDE, NEW YORK TO THE GAS EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTER (GERC). THE GERC CALLED THE CUSTOMER AS WELL AS WITH THE FDNY WHO STATED THE RESIDENT WAS INJURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE IN A UTILITY CLOSET IN THE BASEMENT. THE FDNY REPORTED THE CUSTOMER WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE. A CODE MURRE (MULTIPLE RESOURCE RESPONSE EVENT) WAS INITIATED AND THE GERC DISPATCHED (4) GAS DISTRIBUTION SERVICES (GDS)CREWS, (3) GDS SUPERVISORS, GDS PLANNER AND (2) CONSTRUCTION CREWS. A GDS SUPERVISOR REPORTED AT 18:53 THAT THEY RECEIVED A 15% GAS READING AT THE INSIDE SEWER TRAP IN THE UTILITY CLOSET OF THIS PRIVATE HOME. THE STEEL PLATE OVER THE TRAP WAS OPENED AND THE TWO SCREW CAPS WERE IN PLACE BUT NOT TIGHT. THE CUSTOMER, MICHAEL SCUDERI 28 YEARS OLD, STATED THAT HE WAS NOT INJURED, WAS NOT TREATED BY EMS AND REFUSED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CUSTOMER STATED THAT HE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE UTILITY ROOM DOOR, SAW A FLASH, THE DOOR BLEW OPEN AND HE SPRAYED THE AREA WITH HIS PERSONAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER. GDS INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED RECEIVING READINGS INSIDE (7) PRIVATE HOMES (AT SEWER TRAPS) (2) ELECTRIC MANHOLES IN THE STREET AND (3) SEWER MANHOLES. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NOTIFICATIONS WERE MADE AS REQUIRED. AN FDNY FIRE MARSHAL RESPONDED AND ATTRIBUTED THE INCIDENT TO NATURAL GAS. THE LEAK WAS INVESTIGATED, EXCAVATED AND CREWS SECURED A LEAKING 2"" X 2"" X 2"" COMPRESSION TEE ON THE 2"" STEEL MAIN IN THE STREET. THIS WAS AN UPGRADED LEVEL INCIDENT."