SPIRE MISSOURI INC. WEST
gas_distribution Incident — KANSAS CITY, MO — April 22, 2025
Incident Information
| Incident Date | April 22, 2025 |
| Operator | SPIRE MISSOURI INC. WEST |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | KANSAS CITY |
| State | MO |
| County | JACKSON |
| Coordinates | 38.95368, -94.54990 |
Cause
| Cause | EXCAVATION DAMAGE |
| Subcause | EXCAVATION DAMAGE BY THIRD PARTY |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $175,915 |
| Emergency Response | $500 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"A THIRD-PARTY EXCAVATOR WAS BACKFILLING WHEN THEY DAMAGED A 1-INCH NIPPLE ON A 10-INCH STEEL NATURAL GAS PIPELINE. ALTHOUGH THE COMPANY'S PROCEDURES STATE THAT OPERATION OF MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT SHALL CEASE IMMEDIATELY AND SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO RESUME WHERE THERE IS A SUDDEN, UNCONTROLLED RELEASE OF GAS DURING EXCAVATION ACTIVITIES, A MINI EXCAVATOR WAS USED DURING THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE TO THE DAMAGE, AND THE NATURAL GAS IGNITED. THE CONDITION WAS MADE SAFE BY CLOSING TWO NEARBY VALVES AND REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY REMOVING THE DAMAGED 1-INCH NIPPLE AND WELDING ON A PUMPKIN. TWO COMPANY EMPLOYEES WERE INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. ONE EMPLOYEE WAS ADMITTED FOR EXTENDED TREATMENT AND THE SECOND EMPLOYEE WAS TREATED AND RELEASED. THE MINI-EXCAVATOR AND A NEARBY REGULATOR STATION WERE ALSO DAMAGED BY THE FIRE DURING THE INCIDENT. A 48-HOUR UPDATE TO THE NRC WAS MADE ON APRIL 24, 2025, AT 15:34 - REPORT NUMBER 1429366"
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.