INDIANA GAS CO INC
gas_distribution Incident — MARTINSVILLE, IN — May 10, 2019
Incident Information
| Incident Date | May 10, 2019 |
| Operator | INDIANA GAS CO INC |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | MARTINSVILLE |
| State | IN |
| County | MORGAN |
| Coordinates | 39.42204, -86.40009 |
Cause
| Cause | INCORRECT OPERATION |
| Subcause | OTHER INCORRECT OPERATION |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $15,000 |
| Emergency Response | $17,000 |
| Other Costs | $60,000 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"ON 5/10/19, MILLER PIPELINE (MPL), THE CONTRACTOR PERFORMING WORK FOR VECTREN, A CENTERPOINT ENERGY COMPANY, WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAP AND STOP A 4"" STEEL MAIN ON CRAMERTOWN LOOP IN MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA WHEN THE PIPELINE IGNITED AT APPROXIMATELY 11:45 AM. A VECTREN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS INSPECTING RECEIVED SECOND AND THIRD-DEGREE BURNS ON BOTH ARMS FROM THE INITIAL FLASH FIRE. THE WORK BEING PERFORMED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF 4"" STEEL PIPELINE WITH 6"" HD PLASTIC PIPELINE. THE 6"" HD PLASTIC HAD BEEN GASSED UP AND CONNECTED INTO THE 4"" STEEL PIPELINE. WHILE THE CREW WAS ABANDONING THE SECTION OF THE 4"" STEEL REPLACED BY THE 6"" HD PLASTIC, THE RUBBER STOPPER (SEALING ELEMENT) FAILED AND GAS WAS RELEASED AND IGNITED."
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.