DOMINION ENERGY OHIO

Incident Narrative

IN THE MINUTES IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING APPROXIMATELY 20:00 ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, AN OUT-OF-CONTROL VEHICLE STRUCK THE FRONT WALL OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING AT ADDRESS 3401/3405 E 139TH STREET IN CLEVELAND, OH (THE APARTMENT BUILDING HAD TWO MAILING ADDRESSES). THE VEHICLE THEN ATTEMPTED TO FLEE THE SCENE AND STRUCK THE NEIGHBORING HOME (3421 E 139TH STREET). THE DRIVER/OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE FLED THE SCENE. RESIDENTS OF THE BUILDINGS THAT HAD BEEN STRUCK BY THE VEHICLE CALLED 911, AND THE CLEVELAND FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CLEVELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THEY WITNESSED AN EXPLOSION AT THE APARTMENT BUILDING AT 3401/3405 E 139TH STREET THAT COMPLETELY DESTROYED ONE QUARTER OF THE BUILDING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THEN CALLED DEO DISPATCH TO ASSIST WITH SHUTTING OFF THE GAS. DEO EMPLOYEES RESPONDED AND ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AT 20:07 AND SHUT THE GAS OFF AND PERFORMED A FIRE INVESTIGATION AND SHUT OFF GAS TO THE SECOND HOME (3421 E 139TH STREET) THAT HAD BEEN STRUCK BY THE VEHICLE AS A PRECAUTION. DEO PIPELINE SAFETY WAS NOTIFIED AT 21:50 AND THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO PHMSA AND THE PUCO. DURING THE POLICE AND FIRE INVESTIGATION THE FOLLOWING MORNING (MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH) THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECOVERED ONE FATALITY FROM THE DEBRIS WHO MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF A RESIDENT REPORTED MISSING BY FAMILY MEMBERS. TWO FD PERSONNEL WERE TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL DUE TO INJURIES SUSTAINED WHILE RESPONDING TO THE EMERGENCY, AND ONE RESIDENT WAS RECOVERED ALIVE FROM THE DEBRIS WHO REFUSED TREATMENT AT THE SCENE IN THE MINUTES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INITIAL EXPLOSION. DEO PERSONNEL PARTICIPATED IN THE RECOVERY OF METERING EQUIPMENT FROM THE STRUCTURE, TESTING OF SERVICE LINE, AND TESTING OF ODORIZATION. ALL TESTS SHOWED JURISDICTIONAL FACILITIES WERE IN COMPLIANCE. GAS SERVICE WAS RESTORED TO 3421 E 139TH STREET ON NOVEMBER 20TH AFTER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE IMPACT DID NOT COMPROMISE ANY GAS FACILITIES. DUE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, NO DATA WAS ABLE TO BE RECOVERED FROM THE METERS AT 3401/3405 E 139TH STREET. BASED ON THE LOCATION OF THE INDOOR METER/MANIFOLD AND VEHICLE TRACKS AND OTHER EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE VEHICLE COLLIDED DIRECTLY WITH THE EXTERIOR BUILDING WALL OPPOSITE THE INDOOR METER MANIFOLD. IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY THAT THE COLLISION CAUSED A RUPTURE AND LEAK IN SOME COMBINATION OF OPERATOR EQUIPMENT AND HOUSELINE PIPING LEADING TO A LEAK. DUE TO THE SUBSEQUENT EXPLOSION AND DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING, METERING EQUIPMENT, AND HOUSELINE, THE EXACT FAILURE LOCATIONS OF THE EQUIPMENT AND SOURCE OF IGNITION IS UNKNOWN. 1/18/2024: FINALIZING REPORT. NO NEW INFORMATION AVAILABLE. NO SUSPECT OR CHARGES ANNOUNCED FOR DRIVER OF VEHICLE THAT INITIATED EVENT.