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PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS

gas_distribution Incident — PHILADELPHIA, PA

Incident Information

Report Date—
OperatorPHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityPHILADELPHIA
StatePA
CountyPHILADELPHIA
Coordinates40.06891, -75.17533

Cause

CauseINCORRECT OPERATION
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries1

Costs

Property Damage—
Lost Commodity—
Public/Private Damage—
Emergency Response—
Environmental Remediation—
Other Costs—

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2017, PGW RECEIVED AN ODOR COMPLAINT AT 8053 RODNEY STREET IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY. PGW RESPONDED TO INVESTIGATE THE AREA AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK WAS A RUSTED OUT STEEL SERVICE PIPE IN THE FOOTWAY. PGW DISCONNECTED THE SERVICE ADJACENT TO THE MAIN CONNECTION AND INSERTED PLASTIC TO THE FRONT WALL OF THE PROPERTY IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THE LEAK AND RESTORE SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMER. THE SERVICE CONNECTION TO THE MAIN WAS A STEEL NIPPLE COMING OFF THE SIDE OF A 6' LOW PRESSURE STEEL MAIN. THIS MAIN CONNECTION REQUIRED THE SERVICES OF A WELDER IN ORDER TO BE PERMANENTLY ABANDONED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW SERVICE TEE. THE STEEL SERVICE CONNECTION WAS TEMPORARILY WRAPPED WITH WAX-TAPE AS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE AND LEFT OVERNIGHT UNTIL A WELDER WAS AVAILABLE. ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 2017, PGW DISPATCHED A MAINTENANCE CREW AND WELDER TO THE SITE TO ABANDON THE STEEL NIPPLE SERVICE CONNECTION AND INSTALL A NEW SERVICE TEE. BETWEEN 09:30 AND 11:00, THE CREW WORKED TO CONTINUE PREPARATION OF THE EXCAVATION AND MAIN FOR THE WELDER TO PERMANENTLY ABANDON THE SERVICE CONNECTION. BETWEEN 11:00 AND 11:23, THE WELDER BEGAN HIS WORK BY CUTTING OFF THE STEEL NIPPLE SERVICE CONNECTION FLUSH WITH THE MAIN. HE PROCEEDED TO USE A SELF-TAPPING TAPERED SCREW PLUG TO ATTEMPT TO SEAL THE OPENING IN THE MAIN. THE WELDER ATTEMPTED TO WELD THE PLUG SHUT AND IGNITED A SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS WHICH HE WAS UNAWARE WAS BYPASSING. THE WELDER THEN ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE PLUG WITH A PIPE WRENCH INSTEAD OF EXTINGUISHING THE FLAME. DURING THIS PROCESS, THE PLUG EVACUATED THE OPENING IN THE MAIN AND ALLOWED THE GAS FROM THE MAIN TO ESCAPE AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PREVIOUSLY IGNITED FLAME. WHILE HIS FR CLOTHING AND SAFETY GLASSES PROTECTED HIS UPPER TORSO AND EYES, THE PGW WELDER SUSTAINED BURNS TO HIS FACE AND NECK AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY THE PHILADELPHIA FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS IMMEDIATELY EXTINGUISHED AND THE SERVICE CONNECTION WAS LATER ABANDONED AND REPLACED WITH A STREET TEE.

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.

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