AMEREN ILLINOIS COMPANY

gas_distribution Incident — DECATUR, IL

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorAMEREN ILLINOIS COMPANY
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityDECATUR
StateIL
CountyMACON
Coordinates39.85681, -88.92265

Cause

CauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities1
Injuries1

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

UPDATE 9/16/2020 - REPORT REVISED TO SHOW RESTART TIME WHICH IS EQUAL TO THE SHUTDOWN TIME SINCE THE SERVICE TO THIS STRUCTURE WAS ABANDONED AT THIS TIME. A THIRD PARTY PASSENGER VEHICLE DROVE OFF OF A RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND CRASHED THROUGH A NATURAL GAS METER SET AND INTO THE SIDE OF A HOME, WITH THE VEHICLE COMING TO A STOP COMPLETELY INSIDE THE RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE. THE GAS METER SET WAS INSTALLED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE STRUCTURE. GAS BEGAN LEAKING AND IGNITED. A FIRE ENSUED WHICH RESULTED IN A FATALITY TO A RESIDENT OF THE IMPACTED HOME WHO WAS INSIDE AT THE TIME, DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS, AND DAMAGE TO THE PUBLIC VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE HAD FLED THE SCENE AND WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AND CHARGED WITH DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. DAMAGE TO AMEREN ILLINOIS NATURAL GAS FACILITIES WAS LIMITED TO THE ABOVE GROUND METER SET PIPING. THE GAS SERVICE FEEDING THE IMPACTED HOME WAS ISOLATED TO CONTROL THE GAS LEAK AND THE GAS SERVICE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RETIRED DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE HOME, AND THEREFORE NOT RETURNED TO SERVICE.

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.

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