CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORP

Incident Narrative

A CONTRACTOR WAS PERFORMING WORK FOR CENTRAL HUDSON THAT INCLUDED A MAIN AND SERVICE REPLACEMENTS ON BRICK ROW IN WAPPINGERS FALLS. THE SCOPE OF WORK CONSISTED OF REPLACING APPROXIMATELY 200 FT. OF 2-INCH STEEL MAIN AND 6 SERVICES. THE MAOP OF THE MAIN IS 30 PSIG. THE GAS SERVICES ON THE STREET WERE EITHER STEEL OR PLASTIC. ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:15 PM, CENTRAL HUDSON WAS NOTIFIED FROM A CENTRAL HUDSON EMPLOYEE AT 7 BRICK ROW, WAPPINGERS FALLS, OF A GAS LINE THAT WAS HIT WHERE THE COMPANY CONTRACTOR WAS EXCAVATING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION AND STRUCTURE FIRE. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF A POSSIBLE GAS EXPLOSION WERE RECEIVED AFTER THIS CALL BY OUR DISPATCH CENTER. THE RESPONDING FIRE DEPARTMENTS PERFORMED EVACUATIONS AND THEN A SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORT FOR THE PUBLIC AND WORKERS ON SITE WAS COMPLETED. A TOTAL OF 15 PEOPLE WERE TREATED FOR MEDICAL EVALUATION BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND TRANSPORTED IF NECESSARY. IN PART A22 OF THIS REPORT, THE GENERAL PUBLIC EVACUATED IS ESTIMATED AT 25 PEOPLE AND CANNOT BE CONFIRMED DUE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE AND CENTRAL HUDSON CREWS ARRIVING AFTER THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED ALREADY. A CENTRAL HUDSON GAS FOREMAN WAS ON SITE AT THE TIME OF DAMAGE AND DURING THE IGNITION. THE FIRST CENTRAL HUDSON RESPONDER ARRIVED ON SITE AT 12:19 PM AND THE BUILDING WAS ON FIRE. ADDITIONAL CENTRAL HUDSON PERSONNEL INCLUDING COMMERCIAL REPRESENTATIVES, GAS CONSTRUCTION CREWS, AND SUPERVISORS WERE CONTACTED AND ARRIVED TO THE SITE. AT 12:33, THE GAS CREW SHUT GAS OFF TO BRICK ROW BY CLOSING A DISTRIBUTION LINE VALVE. AT 12:43 PM, THE ELECTRICITY WAS SHUT OFF THAT SERVICES BRICK ROW AND THE ADJACENT AREA. THE NATURAL GAS MAIN AND SERVICES WERE RETIRED AND ABANDONED ON BRICK ROW FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT. ONCE THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED, CENTRAL HUDSON AND CONTRACTOR CREWS PERFORMED LEAK SURVEYS OF THE IMMEDIATE AND SURROUNDING AREAS TO ENSURE THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL RISKS. GAS ODORANT READINGS WERE TAKEN IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS TO VERIFY APPROPRIATE ODORIZATION OF GAS AND WAS CONFIRMED. CENTRAL HUDSON IS CONDUCTING AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE PROVIDED, AS APPROPRIATE, UNTIL A CONCLUSION ON THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT IS ASCERTAINED.