WISCONSIN GAS LLC DBA WE ENERGIES

Incident Narrative

ON TUESDAY JULY 10, 2018 AT 6:25PM, WE ENERGIES WAS NOTIFIED BY THE SUN PRAIRIE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT NATURAL GAS FACILITIES HAD BEEN STRUCK NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BRISTOL AND MAIN STREET IN SUN PRAIRIE, WISCONSIN. AT 6:38PM, WE ENERGIES DISPATCHED A FIRST RESPONDER WHO ARRIVED ON SITE AT 7:02 PM. UPON ARRIVAL, THE WE ENERGIES RESPONDER RECOGNIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SITUATION BY THE LOCAL FIRST RESPONDER EVACUATIONS UNDERWAY. THE WE ENERGIES RESPONDER IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED GAS DISPATCH AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE. AT 7:04 PM, THE BUILDING AT 100 W. MAIN STREET EXPLODED, WHICH CAUSED MULTIPLE BUILDINGS IN THE VICINITY TO CATCH FIRE AND SUSTAIN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. AT 7:06PM, THE WE ENERGIES EMPLOYEE ON SITE NOTIFIED GAS DISPATCH OF THE EXPLOSION AND REQUESTED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSION, SEVEN LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND ONE WE ENERGIES EMPLOYEE WERE INJURED. TWO FIRE FIGHTERS AND A WE ENERGIES EMPLOYEE WERE TRANSPORTED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL. WE ENERGIES WAS LATER INFORMED THAT ONE OF THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL HAD PASSED AWAY. THE OTHER FIREFIGHTER TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL REQUIRED INPATIENT, OVERNIGHT HOSPITALIZATION AND THE WE ENERGIES EMPLOYEE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL DID NOT REQUIRE INPATIENT, OVERNIGHT HOSPITALIZATION (UPDATED 1/2/19). DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, TWELVE VALVES IN THE INCIDENT AREA NEEDED TO BE CLOSED TO STOP THE FLOW OF GAS. AT 8:06PM, WE ENERGIES PERSONAL BEGAN CLOSING THE EMERGENCY VALVES TO STOP THE FLOW OF GAS. AT 1:12 AM JULY 11, 2018 IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE ALL VALVES HAD BEEN SHUT, GAS STOPPED BLOWING, AND THE FIRE WAS OUT, RESULTING IN APPROXIMATELY 600 CUSTOMERS OUT OF SERVICE. ON JULY 10, AT 9:44PM, WE ENERGIES MADE A TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER TO REPORT A NATURAL GAS INCIDENT PER 49 CFR PART 191.3 DUE TO ESTIMATED PROPERTY DAMAGE OF MORE THAN $50,000 AND PERSONAL INJURY NECESSITATING IN-PATIENT HOSPITALIZATION. WE ENERGIES ALSO INFORMED WISCONSIN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION PIPELINE SAFETY MANAGER OF THE INCIDENT. RESTORATION OF GAS SERVICES BEGAN THE MORNING OF JULY 11, 2018 AND THE MAJORITY OF CUSTOMERS WERE RESTORED WITHIN 24 HOURS. FURTHER RESTORATION CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL DAYS AS PREMISES WERE MADE SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A THIRD PARTY EXCAVATOR INSTALLING TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES WITH HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING EQUIPMENT HAD DAMAGED A 2"" PE GAS MAIN. THE DAMAGED MAIN RELEASED GAS WHICH MIGRATED BELOW GRADE, INTO NEARBY BUILDINGS, AND WAS IGNITED BY AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. ONE-CALL CENTER RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE THAT THE THIRD PARTY EXCAVATOR HAD MADE A REQUEST TO LOCATE BURIED FACILITIES IN THE BORING PATH PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, AT THE DAMAGED GAS LINE LOCATION, FACILITIES HAD NOT BEEN EXPOSED BY THE EXCAVATOR TO ENSURE THAT PROPER CLEARANCES WERE MAINTAINED BETWEEN THE BORING EQUIPMENT AND WE ENERGIES FACILITIES.