CITIZENS GAS & COKE UTILITY
gas_distribution Incident — INDIANAPOLIS, IN — October 22, 2021
Incident Information
| Incident Date | October 22, 2021 |
| Operator | CITIZENS GAS & COKE UTILITY |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | INDIANAPOLIS |
| State | IN |
| County | MARION |
| Coordinates | 39.77493, -86.23243 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $6,500 |
| Emergency Response | $22,700 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"THE FINDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATION BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REVEALED THE HOMEOWNER HAD INSTALLED A FIRE PIT DIRECTLY OVER THE NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SERVICE LINE. THE NATURAL GAS SERVICE LINE IS A 1/2"" PLASTIC DISTRIBUTION SERVICE LINE INSERTED INSIDE AN ABANDON 1 1/4"" STEEL LINE. THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE, WITHIN THE FIREPIT, HEATED THE 1 1/4"" STEEL CASING LINE THEREFORE CREATING A HOLE IN THE 1/2"" PLASTIC SERVICE LINE THAT WAS INSERTED WITHIN THE 1 1/4"" STEEL CASING LINE. THIS HOLE ALLOWED GAS TO ESCAPE INSIDE THE CASING AND TRAVEL TO THE RESIDENTIAL HOME IT WAS SERVING, 558 N. RYBOLT AVE. ACCUMULATION OF THE NATURAL GAS OCCURRED WITHIN THE HOME AND WAS IGNITED BY THE CUSTOMER WHEN HE TRIED TO LIGHT A CIGARETTE. CEG'S OWN INVESTIGATION FINDINGS WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S."
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.