PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

A GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE OCCURRED AT AN UNOCCUPIED HOME THAT WAS BEING RENOVATED FOR RENTAL. ON THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARRIVED ON SITE, SMELLED GAS, NOTICED THE GAS METER TURNING RAPIDLY AND CALLED THE HOMEOWNER. THE HOMEOWNER, IN TURN, CALLED 911. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THEY SHUT OFF THE GAS AND ELECTRIC METERS; IMMEDIATELY AFTER FIRE PERSONNEL ENTERED THE HOUSE, THE HOUSE EXPLODED RESULTING IN INJURIES TO FOUR FIREMEN. INSPECTION OF THE HOME RESULTED IN THE DISCOVERY OF THE HOUSE LINE TO THE GAS RANGE HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED AND THE APPLIANCE VALVE LEFT OPEN ALLOWING GAS TO BE RELEASED INSIDE THE HOUSE. PG&E CONDUCTED A SPECIAL LEAK SURVEY IN THE AREA ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT AND FOUND NO SIGNIFICANT LEAKS. TWO 'FUZZ' LEAKS WERE FOUND AT METER SETS IN THE AREA. AFTER CONDUCTING THE LEAK SURVEY, THE SERVICE LINE TO THE INCIDENT SITE WAS CUT OFF AT THE MAIN AND WAS PRESSURE TESTED AT 100 PSIG FOR 10 MIN BACK TO THE RISER VALVE. THE LINE HELD PRESSURE, INDICATING AN AIR TIGHT SEAL FROM THE MAIN TO THE RISER VALVE. ACCORDING TO FIRE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATIONS, EVIDENCE SHOWS THE EXPLOSION WAS THE RESULT OF A 'DELIBERATE ACT'. PG&E HAS REQUESTED A COPY OF THE INVESTIGATION REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS INCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE REPORTABLE DUE TO THE INJURIES, DAMAGES EXCEEDING $50,000 AND SACRAMENTO MEDIA BEING ON-SITE.