NORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SERVICE CO
gas_distribution Incident — BLUFFTON, IN — March 22, 2025
Incident Information
| Incident Date | March 22, 2025 |
| Operator | NORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SERVICE CO |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | BLUFFTON |
| State | IN |
| County | WELLS |
| Coordinates | 40.74269, -85.17061 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | "DAMAGE BY CAR, TRUCK, OR OTHER MOTORIZED VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT NOT ENGAGED IN EXCAVATION" |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $610,365 |
| Emergency Response | $3,576 |
| Other Costs | $488 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"A SMALL PICKUP TRUCK LOST CONTROL, RAN OFF THE EASTSIDE OF ROAD DOWN AN EMBANKMENT NEAR THE BRIDGE UNDERPASS AND HIT ONE STATION OF A DUAL STATION SETUP. IMPACT CAUSED BOTH THE SEPARATION OF PIPES FEEDING THE THE STATION. BOTH THE HIGH PRESSURE SIDE AND MEDIUM PRESSURE SIDE 2"" PIPES WERE SEPARATED. VALVES WERE CLOSED TO STOP THE FLOW. CAPS WERE WELDED ON THE SEPARATED PIPES. THE PRESSURE WAS MAINTAINED BY THE UNDAMAGED STATION. THE DAMAGED STATION CANNOT BE REPAIRED, THEREFORE PLANS ARE BEING DESIGNED TO REPLACE THE STATION. UPDATE 10/30/2025, THE DESTROYED STATION WILL BE REPLACE SPRING 2026. THERE ARE NO OTHER UPDATES. THIS REPORT IS CONSIDERED LAST AND FINAL."
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.