NORTHERN STATES POWER CO OF MINNESOTA
gas_distribution Incident — FARGO, ND — January 4, 2019
Incident Information
| Incident Date | January 4, 2019 |
| Operator | NORTHERN STATES POWER CO OF MINNESOTA |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | FARGO |
| State | ND |
| County | CASS |
| Coordinates | 46.80183, -96.80138 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $0 |
| Emergency Response | $4,152 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"ON JANUARY 4, 2019, AT 18:43 XCEL ENERGY WAS NOTIFIED BY THE FARGO FIRE DEPARTMENT OF A FIRE AT 5220 12TH ST. S IN FARGO, ND, AT THE CHI COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER. VISUAL OBSERVATION AFTER THE FIRE SHOWED THAT THE REGULATOR BODY HAD BEEN CRACKED AND WAS BROKEN THROUGH COMPLETELY, RESULTING IN ESCAPING GAS. THE ESCAPING GAS APPEARS TO HAVE MIGRATED INTO AN INTERIOR UTILITY ROOM THROUGH A VENT; THE UTILITY ROOM WAS LOCATED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE METER. WE BELIEVE THE GAS IGNITED INSIDE THE UTILITY ROOM BASED ON EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE AND VIDEO FOOTAGE PRESERVED BY THE CHI COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER. WE ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE REGULATOR TO BREAK. POST-INCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE REGULATOR SUGGESTS THAT THE REGULATOR DID NOT BREAK DUE TO CORROSION OR MATERIAL DEFECT, WE BELIEVE IT WAS AN EXTERNAL FORCE BUT CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT THE FORCE WAS OR WHAT OCCURRED. ESTIMATED COSTS OF THE FIRE DAMAGE APPEAR TO EXCEED $50,000, BUT ARE NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME."
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.