AVISTA CORP

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 A.M. PDT ON OCTOBER 28, 2021, PG CONTRACTORS, A THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR, WAS INSTALLING TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE USING A HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILL WHEN THEY SEVERED A 2"" POLYETHYLENE (PE) MAIN AT THE INTERSECTION OF CHRISTINE STREET AND BEECHWOOD STREET IN FRONT OF 6997 W CHRISTINE ST., RATHDRUM, IDAHO. THE PE PIPE OPERATED AT A PRESSURE OF APPROXIMATELY 55 PSIG WITH AN MAOP OF 60 PSIG, WAS AT A DEPTH OF 36 INCHES, AND LOCATE MARKS WERE PRESENT AND ACCURATE. AVISTA WAS NOTIFIED AT 10:13 A.M. PDT AND WAS ON SITE AT 10:20 A.M. PDT. THE NORTHERN LAKES FIRE DISTRICT RESPONDED AND EVACUATED 3 NEARBY RESIDENCES AT 6971, 6997 AND 7025 W CHRISTINE STREET. THE LOCATION OF THE DAMAGE REQUIRED SQUEEZING THE 2"" MAIN IN THREE LOCATIONS AS IT WAS CLOSE TO A TEE. THE SQUEEZES WERE COMPLETE AT 11:43 A.M. PDT TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF GAS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LEFT ONCE THE SCENE WAS SECURE. UNDERGROUND BARHOLE READINGS WERE TAKEN IN FRONT OF THE THREE EVACUATED HOUSES AND SHOWED 0 PERCENT LEL. INSIDE GAS READINGS WERE TAKEN AT 6997 W CHRISTINE STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 12:10 P.M. PDT AND SHOWED READINGS BETWEEN 10% AND 70% LEL. THE GAS SERVICEMAN EXITED THE HOUSE AND LEFT THE DOORS OPEN TO AIR OUT THE HOUSE. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 P.M. PDT THE HOMEOWNERS AT 7025 W CHRISTINE STREET CAME HOME AND REQUESTED TO ENTER THEIR HOUSE. A GAS SERVICEMAN CHECKED EACH ROOM OF THE HOUSE WITH A COMBUSTIBLE GAS INDICATOR AND FOUND READINGS OF 0% LEL, SO THE GAS SERVICEMAN CLEARED THE HOUSE FOR THE HOMEOWNERS TO REENTER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE HOMEOWNERS AT 6997 W CHRISTINE STREET REQUESTED TO GET BACK INTO THEIR HOUSE. THE GAS SERVICEMAN CHECKED EACH ROOM WITH A COMBUSTIBLE GAS INDICATOR, WHICH NOW READ 0% LEL AND HE ALLOWED THE HOMEOWNERS BACK IN THEIR HOUSE. AT THIS TIME, THE GAS AND ELECTRICITY WERE STILL SHUT OFF TO THE HOUSE AND THE ELECTRIC METER HAD TO BE RE-INSTALLED. AFTER TURNING THE ELECTRICITY BACK ON THE HOMEOWNER REPORTED POPPING NOISES COMING FROM THE FURNACE. THE GAS SERVICEMAN CHECKED NEAR THE FURNACE AND FOUND 0% LEL AND DECIDED TO TURN THE FURNACE OFF AT THE THERMOSTAT. WHILE ENTERING THE HOUSE FROM THE GARAGE, THE GAS SERVICEMAN SAW A RED GLOW ABOVE HIS HEAD WHICH WAS AN IGNITION OF GAS AT APPROXIMATELY 12:46 P.M. PDT. THE GAS SERVICEMAN EXITED THROUGH THE OPEN GARAGE DOOR AND THE MALE HOMEOWNER EXITED THROUGH THE REAR GARAGE ACCESS DOOR. INDIVIDUALS ON SCENE THEN HELPED TO GET THE FEMALE HOMEOWNER OUT OF THE UPSTAIRS OF THE HOUSE THROUGH A WINDOW. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE BUILDING WAS CONSUMED BY FLAMES. OPERATOR PERSONNEL ON SCENE CALLED 911 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE GAS IGNITED AND THE NORTHERN LAKES FIRE DISTRICT WAS ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 12:57 P.M. PDT. THE FEMALE HOMEOWNER WAS ASSESSED BY EMTS ON SITE AND THE MALE HOMEOWNER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED FOR SECOND DEGREE BURNS ON HIS FOREARM BUT WAS NOT ADMITTED. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION SUGGESTS THAT THERE WAS A POCKET OF GAS INSIDE THE HOUSE IN A LOCATION THAT COULD NOT BE DETECTED BY THE GAS SERVICEMAN'S INSTRUMENT. IT WAS THAT POCKET OF GAS THAT IGNITED CAUSING THE FIRE. THE BUILDING WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS WITH A VALUE EXCEEDING $122,000 RESULTING IN THIS INCIDENT BEING REPORTABLE. AVISTA DENIES LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES AND INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INCIDENT.