"HOPE GAS, INC"
gas_distribution Incident — CLARKSBURG, WV — January 26, 2025
Incident Information
| Incident Date | January 26, 2025 |
| Operator | "HOPE GAS, INC" |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | CLARKSBURG |
| State | WV |
| County | HARRISON |
| Coordinates | 39.27272, -80.34999 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER INCIDENT CAUSE |
| Subcause | UNKNOWN |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $136,486 |
| Emergency Response | $88,458 |
| Other Costs | $39,292 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"ON JANUARY 26 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 PM THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION AND FATALITY AT 146 KRAMER DRIVE, CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA 26301. THE INCIDENT IS STILL UNDER ACTIVE INVESTIGATION BY MULTIPLE PARTIES. HOPE GAS, INC. PERSONNEL RESPONDING TO THE SCENE FOUND A SEPARATED COUPLING IN HOPE'S LINE M- 20 AT THE INTERSECTION OF S. CHESTNUT AND HARVEY STREETS, SOME 135 FEET FROM 146 KRAMER DRIVE. SUBSEQUENT FINDINGS, UPON DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE COUPLING, SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT AN EXTERNAL FORCE HAD BEEN EXERCISED ON THE COUPLING, PARTIALLY PULLING THE TWO-INCH PLASTIC LINE FROM THE BODY OF THE COUPLING, SOME TIME PRIOR TO THE JANUARY 26, 2025 EVENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FINAL SEPARATION OF THE COUPLING , THE EXPLOSION AT 146 KRAMER DRIVE, AND ANY CORRELATION BETWEEN THE SEPARATION AND THE EXPLOSION, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER SOLE CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT ONGOING ROADWAY, WATER, AND/OR SEWER CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY, REMAIN UNDER ACTIVE INVESTIGATION BY MULTIPLE POTENTIALLY INVOLVED PARTIES, SUCH THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT IS PRELIMINARY AND MAY BE AMENDED OR SUPPLEMENTED PURSUANT TO 49 CFR
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.