CHATTANOOGA GAS CO

Incident Narrative

CHATTANOOGA GAS COMPANY RESPONDED TO A FIRE CALL AT 411 HAWKWOOD CT IN HIXSON, TN ON AUGUST 23, 2019 AT 7:30 AM. BAR HOLE TESTING OVER THE 1/2-INCH PE SERVICE THAT WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INDICATED GAS READINGS AT THE BUILDING WALL NEAR THE SERVICE RISER. A SUBSEQUENT PRESSURE TEST OF THE SERVICE LINE DID NOT HOLD PRESSURE. INITIAL EXCAVATION OF THE FACILITIES DETERMINED CAUSE OF LEAKAGE TO BE A LEAKING SOCKET FUSION ON A TRANSITION FITTING THAT TRANSITIONED THE 1/2-INCH PE SERVICE PIPE TO THE 3/4-INCH STEEL SERVICE RISER. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CRACK IN THE BODY OF THE 1/2-INCH PE SERVICE PIPE TO BE THE CAUSE OF LEAKAGE. THE ORIGINAL REPORT FOR THIS INCIDENT DOCUMENTED THE APPARENT CAUSE IN PART G AS ""G8 - OTHER INCIDENT CAUSE"" AS THE CAUSE OF THE LEAKING SOCKET FUSION AT THE TIME WAS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. AS THE ABOVE NOTED CRACK WAS FOUND, THE APPARENT CAUSE IN PART G HAS BEEN CHANGED TO ""G5 - PIPE, WELD, OR JOINT FAILURE"" - BODY OF PIPE - CRACK. THE ESTIMATED VOLUME OF GAS THAT WAS RELEASED FROM THE TIME THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED UNTIL THE FACILITIES WERE CUT AND CAPPED (5HOURS - 1 MINUTE) WAS 402.6 MCF. THE GAS WAS DISCHARGING THROUGH A BROKEN 3/4"" PIPE AT THE METER SET FOR APPROXIMATELY THIS TIME PERIOD. TOTAL ESTIMATED VOLUME AND COST OF GAS RELEASED COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AS THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT FACILITIES HAD BEEN LEAKING COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE ORIGINAL TELEPHONIC REPORT TO THE NRC INDICATED INJURY REQUIRING INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION. THIS HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FATALITY AS THE HOSPITALIZED PERSON SUCCUMBED TO THE INJURIES SUSTAINED FROM THE FIRE. ADDITIONAL NRC REPORT NUMBER 1256276 WAS CREATED FOR THE SAME EVENT AFTER A 48-HOUR SUPPLEMENTAL CALL WAS PLACED WITH THE NRC.