CONSUMERS ENERGY CO

Incident Narrative

ON OCTOBER 13, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:37 HOURS, CONSUMERS ENERGY WAS NOTIFIED OF A GAS RELEASE AND IGNITION AT 130 SAGINAW STREET, (GLADWIN COUNTY)BEAVERTON, MICHIGAN. A SUMMARY OF THE GLADWIN COUNTY SHERIFF ACCIDENT REPORT IS A DPW EMPLOYEE RETURNED TO THE BUILDING TO PICK UP A RADIO AND PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT THE FRONT (SOUTH) SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND DAMAGE THE GAS METER (A THREADED NIPPLE LOCATED ABOVE THE LOCKWING). THE GAS RELEASE IGNITED AND THE BUILDING CAUGHT FIRE. A CONSUMERS ENERGY FIRST RESPONDER ARRIVED ONSITE AT APPROXIMATELY 17:06 HOURS, THE GAS TO THE DAMAGED METER HAD BEEN TURN OFF AT THE LOCKWING BY FIRE PERSONNEL PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. A CONSUMERS ENERGY DISTRIBUTION CREW WAS NOTIFIED AND THE SERVICE LINE WAS CUT BACK AND PLUGGED UNTIL REPAIRS TO THE BUILDING ARE COMPLETE AND SERVICE RESTORED. THERE WERE NO FATALITIES OR INJURIES ASSOCIATED TO THE DAMAGE AND SUBSEQUENT IGNITION. A CAUSAL ANALYSIS INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE, COUNTERMEASURES TO MINIMIZE FUTURE OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND AN IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE IS BEING DEVELOPED.