NV ENERGY

Incident Narrative

ON AUGUST 26, 2019 AT 11:15 AM NV ENERGY (NVE) GAS DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED BY RENO FIRE DISPATCH THAT A RECREATIONAL VEHICLE HAD HIT A GAS METER SET AND IT WAS LEAKING GAS. NVE GAS DISPATCH CONTACTED A NVE GAS SERVICEMAN AND INSPECTOR TO RESPOND. NVE PERSONNEL ON SCENE WERE ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF GAS WHEN TWO RENO FIREFIGHTERS OPERATED THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER ON THE ELECTRIC PANEL THAT WAS 36"" FROM THE DAMAGED, LEAKING RISER AT THE GAS METER SET. THIS CAUSED A FLASH IGNITION OF NATURAL GAS THAT BURNED THE TWO RENO FIREFIGHTERS. THE TWO RENO FIREFIGHTERS WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY WERE TREATED AND RELEASED THAT SAME DAY. A SHORT TIME LATER, AFTER THE FIRST IGNITION, A SECOND IGNITION OCCURRED IN THE ATTIC OF THE HOME ABOVE THE GARAGE CAUSING A FIRE IN THE ATTIC SPACE. NVE PERSONNEL ISOLATED GAS AT A MAIN VALVE, RESULTING IN AN OUTAGE TO 11 CUSTOMERS AND STOPPING THE FLOW OF GAS TO THE DAMAGED RISER. THE SERVICE LINE TO THE DAMAGED RISER WAS RETIRED AT THE CURB AND SERVICE WAS RESTORED TO THE 10 OTHER AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. NVE PERSONNEL OBSERVATION, PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, AND TESTIMONY BY RENO FIRE PERSONNEL INDICATE THAT THE METER SET WAS DAMAGED BY THE HOMEOWNER WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE HIS RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PAST THE METER SET. THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE STEP WAS NOT RETRACTED AND IT CONTACTED THE METER SET AS HE WAS DRIVING FORWARD. THE THREADED JOINT BETWEEN THE GAS METER VALVE AND THE RISER WAS CRACKED DUE TO THIS IMPACT. NVE MANAGEMENT ON SCENE DETERMINED THAT THE PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE HOME WOULD EXCEED $50,000 FOR THIS EVENT. NVE NOTIFIED THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER (NRC) ON AUGUST 26TH AT 12:47 AND WAS GIVEN NRC INCIDENT REPORT #1256443. NV ENERGY PROVIDED AN UPDATE TO THE NRC ON AUGUST 28TH AT 10:09 AND WAS GIVEN NRC INCIDENT REPORT #1256658.