NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO

Incident Narrative

BLUE PEAK TENTS, INC. PUT UP A TENT ON TUESDAY, 9/21/21. THEY UTILIZED EXISTING HOLES IN THE PARKING LOT PAVEMENT, AND MADE A NEW HOLES IN THE PARKWAY FOR THE STAKES THAT HOLD DOWN THE TENT. WHEN THE EMPLOYEES FROM BLUE PEAK TENTS, INC. CAME BACK ON MONDAY 9/27/21 TO REMOVE THE TENT, THEY USED A GASOLINE-OPERATED HYDRAULIC STAKE PULLING MACHINE TO REMOVE THE STAKES. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING ONE OF THE STAKES, THERE WAS IGNITION OF NATURAL GAS. TWO EMPLOYEES FROM BLUE PEAK TENTS, INC. WERE INJURED. ONE EMPLOYEE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND RELEASED THE FOLLOWING DAY, AND THE OTHER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION. AFTER STOPPING THE FLOW OF NATURAL GAS AND EXPOSING THE 2-INCH GAS MAIN, IT WAS REVEALED THAT A 1-INCH DIAMETER STAKE HAD PIERCED THE MAIN. PART G3, QUESTION 14: WHEN SELECTING ""EXCAVATION PRACTICES NOT SUFFICIENT (OTHER)"" FROM THE DROP DOWN MENU, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL FIELD AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION, AS REQUESTED BY PHMSA AID PERSONNEL; THEREFORE, THE EXPLANATION IS PROVIDED HERE IN PART H. EXCAVATION PRACTICES NOT SUFFICIENT (OTHER) MEANS THE EXCAVATOR EXCAVATED OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE ONE CALL TICKET.