ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION - MID-TEX

Incident Narrative

ON 2/23/2018, A NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION OCCURRED AT 3534 ESPANOLA DRIVE, DALLAS, TEXAS AT 6:38 A.M. MULTIPLE 911 CALLS CAME INTO THE DALLAS FIRE-RESCUE DISPATCH CENTER REPORTING THE EXPLOSION. FIVE FAMILY MEMBERS WERE IN THE HOUSE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ONE RESIDENT'S INJURIES WERE FATAL. THE OTHER FOUR RESIDENTS SUSTAINED NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION, ATMOS PERSONNEL WERE IN THE AREA WORKING TO REPAIR A NON-HAZARDOUS LEAK IN THE 3500 BLOCK OF ESPANOLA. AN ATMOS OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR HEARD THE EXPLOSION AND TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIVES AND MAKE THE AREA SAFE. HE DIRECTED HIS CREW TO START EVACUATING A TWO-BLOCK AREA, NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT HOUSE. FIREFIGHTERS AND ATMOS CREWS WENT DOOR-TO-DOOR ADVISING RESIDENTS TO EVACUATE AND TO REFRAIN FROM STARTING CARS OR SWITCHING ON LIGHTS. THE EVACUATION WAS COMPLETED IN 12-15 MINUTES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF DALLAS FIRE-RESCUE. THE ATMOS ONSITE OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR, WORKING WITH THE OPERATIONS MANAGER AND THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, COORDINATED THE SHUT-DOWN OF THE MAIN LINE IN THE ALLEY BEHIND 3534 ESPANOLA. THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) ARRIVED ONSITE ON 2/25/2018. ATMOS ENERGY, THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION (RRC), PIPELINE & HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (PHMSA), AND DALLAS FIRE - RESCUE ASSISTED WITH THE NTSB'S INVESTIGATION. THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION AT 3534 ESPANOLA DRIVE WAS THE IGNITION OF AN ACCUMULATION OF NATURAL GAS THAT LEAKED FROM THE GAS MAIN THAT WAS DAMAGED DURING A SEWER REPLACEMENT PROJECT 23 YEARS EARLIER. POST-ACCIDENT EXCAVATION CONFIRMED THE 2"" MAIN WAS CRACKED IN THE AREA IT HAD BEEN GOUGED, BENT, AND DENTED BY MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT. THE THIRD-PARTY DAMAGE WAS NEVER REPORTED TO ATMOS.