CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP., DBA CENTERPOINT ENERGY MINNESOTA GAS

gas_distribution Incident — LAKEVILLE, MN

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorCENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP., DBA CENTERPOINT ENERGY MINNESOTA GAS
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityLAKEVILLE
StateMN
CountyDAKOTA
Coordinates44.69521, -93.23690

Cause

CauseNATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

THE LAKEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE AND FOUND THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE NEAR THE METER SET ON FIRE.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND TURNED THE SERVICE VALVE ON THE RISER OFF. WHILE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS INSIDE A LOUD ""POP"" WAS HEARD OUTSIDE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE FIRE ON THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE NEAR THE METER SET HAD WEAKENED THE BACK OF THE METER AND CAUSED IT TO BURST WHICH RELEASED A SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS, THERE WAS NO FIRE OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE RELEASE OF GAS. CENTERPOINT ENERGY'S FIRE INVESTIGATOR FOUND LIGHTNING HAD STRUCK THE HOUSE OPPOSITE OF WHERE THE METER IS LOCATED. THE LIGHTNING THEN TRAVELED THROUGH THE HOUSE AND CAUSED A FIRE ON THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE NEAR THE GAS METER. THE METER SET WAS NEVER ON FIRE AND THE FIRE WAS NOT GAS FED. CENTERPOINT BELIEVES ITS FACILITIES DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE LIGHTNING STRIKE. UPDATE 10/04/2019 THE METER AND SET WAS REPLACED AND GAS SERVICE WAS REINSTATED SEPTEMBER 17 2019. NO OTHER DETAILS HAVE CHANGED.

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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