PUBLIC SERVICE ELECTRIC & GAS CO

Incident Narrative

ON FRIDAY 1/10/2020 1744 HRS AT 3152 KENNEDY BLVD, JERSEY CITY, ACCIDENTAL IGNITION OCCURRED AND SUBSEQUENT EXPLOSION/RAPID EXPANSION OCCURRED RESULTING IN ONE PERSON BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PSE&G ARRIVED ON SITE. GAS WAS FOUND TO BE MIGRATING FROM MULTIPLE LEAKS ON A 36"" 15 PSI MAIN THROUGH A 4"" ELECTRICAL CONDUIT COMING FROM THE STREET AND EXTENDING INTO THE BASEMENT OF THE STRUCTURE. PSE&G IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE VOLUME OF GAS THAT LEAKED OUT. MULTIPLE ENCAPSULATIONS WERE PERFORMED ON THE 36"" MAIN TO STOP THE LEAKS. THE SERVICE TO THE STRUCTURE WHILE NOT BEING THE SOURCE OF THE RELEASE OF GAS WAS SHUT OFF OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION AND REMAINS SHUT OFF AT THIS TIME. REPAIRS TO THE PIPE INCLUDED ENCAPSULATION OF TEES, BELL JOINTS, AND MECHANICAL SLEEVES AS WELL AS REPLACEMENT OF CAST IRON UP MAIN. LOCATED NEAR THE 36' MAIN IS A 12 IN MAIN, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION A SECTION OF THIS MAIN WAS ALSO REPLACED. WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE APPROXIMATELY HOW MUCH GAS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE CONDUIT AND INSIDE THE STRUCTURE. I USED THE WIDTH OF JFK BLVD. TO DETERMINE THE ESTIMATED LENGTH OF THE CONDUIT, THE DIAMETER OF THE CONDUIT AND THE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF THE HOUSE AND A BLANKET OF GAS ALONG THE CEILING OF AT LEAST 6' (THE RAFTERS ARE 2X6'S AND THAT AREA WOULD HAVE FILLED FIRST WITH NO MERCAPTAN BEING DETECTED IN THE HOUSE BY THE OCCUPANTS).