CONSUMERS ENERGY CO

Incident Narrative

ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 17:52 HOURS CONSUMERS ENERGY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE DAMAGE NEAR 1102 LAKE STREET, KALAMAZOO (KALAMAZOO COUNTY), MICHIGAN. A GAS SERVICE WORKER (GSW) WAS DISPATCHED AND ARRIVED ONSITE AT APPROXIMATELY 17:58 HOURS. THE GSW CONFIRMED A 4-INCH MEDIUM-PRESSURE PLASTIC PIPELINE WAS DAMAGED BY A CONSUMERS ENERGY (2ND-PARTY) CONTRACTOR. DURING THE BORE SHOT PULL BACK, THE BORE REAMER DAMAGED THE PIPELINE CAUSING GAS TO BE RELEASED AND A SUBSEQUENT IGNITION. THE PREVIOUS NIGHT A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL WAS HELD NEAR THE DAMAGE LOCATION, CANDLES REMAINING AT THE SIGHT ARE THOUGHT TO BE THE IGNITION SOURCE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE ONSITE AND RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES WITHIN ONE BLOCK IN ALL DIRECTIONS WERE EVACUATED AND ELECTRIC SERVICE DISCONTINUED. SEVERAL CONTRACT EMPLOYEES WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE OPERATOR SUSTAINED MINOR BURNS AND RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT BUT OVERNIGHT HOSPITALIZATION WAS NOT REQUIRED. POST-ACCIDENT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING WAS PERFORMED FOR ALL CONTRACT EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. A DISTRIBUTION CREW ARRIVED ONSITE AT APPROXIMATELY 18:40 HOURS AND SQUEEZED THE PIPELINE AT A REMOTE LOCATION WEST OF MILL STREET STOPPING GAS FROM BLOWING. ONCE THE GAS WAS CONTAINED, THE FIRE WAS ALLOWED TO EXTINGUISH BEFORE ASSESSING DAMAGE AND MAKING REPAIRS. IN ADDITION TO OPERATOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND REPAIRS COSTS, SIGNAGE, TRAFFIC CONTROL AND LIGHTING AND A NEARBY AUTOMOBILE WAS DAMAGED AND WILL REQUIRE REPLACEMENT AND/OR REPAIR. THE DAMAGED SEGMENT OF THE PIPELINE WAS CUT OUT AND REPLACED WITH APPROXIMATELY 4-FEET OF 4-INCH MEDIUM-PRESSURE PLASTIC PIPE. REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED AND GAS SERVICE WAS RESTORED ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 04:30 HOURS. SERVICE RESTORATION TO IMPACTED CUSTOMERS BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 15:30 HOURS. FURTHER INCIDENT INVESTIGATION DETERMINE THE THE CONTRACTOR PERFORMING WORK ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS ENERGY AND RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCATING AND STAKING THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE FAILED TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY AND MARK THE PIPELINE DOCUMENTED ON THE CONSTRUCTION PRINT. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN THE CREW UNKNOWINGLY BORING NEAR AN UNMARKED GAS FACILITY CAUSING A RELEASE OF GAS AND SUBSEQUENT IGNITION.