PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

gas_distribution Incident — GERBER, CA

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorPACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityGERBER
StateCA
CountyTEHAMA
Coordinates40.07090, -122.16240

Cause

CauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities1
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

A STRUCTURE FIRE RESULTED IN ONE FATALITY. THE HEAT FROM THE STRUCTURE FIRE MELTED THE REGULATOR AND METER WHICH RELEASED GAS AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL SHUT OFF THE GAS AT THE SERVICE VALVE PRIOR TO PG&E PERSONNEL BEING ON THE SCENE. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THE CAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE FIRE WAS THE DAMAGE TO A LAMP ELECTRICAL CORD WHICH 'CAUSED THE WIRE AND OUTLET TO HEAT TO A POINT OF CAUSING AN IGNITION SOURCE WITHIN THE OUTLET OR WIRES CONNECTING TO THE OUTLET.' THE LAMP CORD WAS DAMAGED FROM A HEAVY OBJECT BEING POSITIONED ON THE CORD. A PG&E ELECTRIC TROUBLEMAN ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AT 0612 HOURS. A GAS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ARRIVED ON SCENE AT 0641. A LEAK SURVEY OF GAS FACILTIES IN THE AREA WAS CONDUCTED AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND. THIS INCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE REPORTABLE DUE TO A FATALITY AND DAMAGES EXCEEDING $50,000.

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.

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