HEMPSTEAD, CITY OF

Incident Narrative

ON DECEMBER 22, 2020 WE RECEIVED A LEAK CALL BY A NON-CUSTOMER OCCUPANT OF A RESIDENCE. WE FOUND THE OCCUPANT HAD ENCLOSED HIS FRONT PORCH ENTIRELY. WE DETECTED GAS AND PULLED THE ELECTRIC METER. WE TOLD THE OCCUPANT HE COULD NOT STAY THERE AND MUST LEAVE THE DOOR TO THE ENCLOSURE OPEN TO VENT ANY GAS. WE CALLED THE 811 NUMBER TO GET A LOCATE FOR 1335 5TH ST.. WE HAD A CREW THERE WAITING ON THE UTILITY LOCATE FROM THE TELEPHONE COMPANY. WE COULD NOT GET TO THE LOCATE WIRE BECAUSE THE CUSTOMER'S ENCLOSURE CONTAINED A CONCRETE FLOOR CONSTRUCTED AROUND THE RISER. WE TRIED TO DIG OUTSIDE THE CONCRETE PUT COULD NOT BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE TREE ROOTS ON THE PROPERTY. WE WENT OUT TO THE ROAD AND DUG BEHIND THE CURB, IN LINE WITH THE METER, AND COULD NOT FIND THE PIPE TO SQUEEZE OFF. WE WENT SOUTH A FEW FEET FOUND THE 1"" PLASTIC PIPE, WHICH WE SQUEEZED OFF AND CAPED, AND CHECK FOR LEAKS. WE TRIED TO VERIFY THE GAS WAS OFF AND RETRIEVE THE GAS METER INSIDE THE ENCLOSURE BUT THE CUSTOMER HAD ALREADY LEFT AND LOCKED THE DOOR SO WE COULD NOT GET IN. WE WERE CALLED ON DECEMBER 24, 2020 STATING THE HOUSE BLEW UP. BECAUSE THE EXPLOSION BLEW AWAY THE CONCRETE EXTERIOR WALL DOWN, WE WERE ABLE TO DIG NEXT TO THE CONCRETE AND SQUEEZE OFF THE SERVICE LINE. THIS STOPPED THE GAS FLOW. I WENT TO CALL THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION TO INFORM THEM OF THE ACCIDENT.