BLACK HILLS ENERGY

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 AM ON MARCH 2, 2017 A FIRE OCCURRED AT THE RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL SITTON AT 97 SUMAC COURT, PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO. GAS LEAKED FROM A CRACKED SECTION OF JURISDICTIONAL PIPE ABOVE THE RISER AND NEXT TO THE GAS METER. THIS GAS MIGRATED INTO THE RESIDENCE, WHERE IT WAS IGNITED. THERE WAS NO EXPLOSION, BUT A SUSTAINED FIRE CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RESIDENCE. NO ONE WAS INJURED. BLACK HILLS WAS NOTIFIED AT 4:45_ A.M. AND RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AT 4:55 A.M. IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT GAS SERVICE TO THE RESIDENCE WAS OFF. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE HOMEOWNER NEGATIVE NEGLIGENTLY ALLOWED A LARGE ACCUMULATION OF SNOW, UP TO THE EAVE LEVEL, TO DEVELOP OVER THE GAS METER AND PIPING. THE GAS PIPE DEVELOPED A CRACK AS A RESULT OF THE DOWNWARD FORCE OF THE ACCUMULATED SNOW. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN, AS THE HOMEOWNER DECIDED TO TEAR DOWN THE HOUSE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW HOUSE AT THIS LOCATION. BLACK HILLS REESTABLISHED NATURAL GAS SERVICE TO THE NEW HOUSE. THE ORIGINAL SERVICE LINE AND METER WERE NOT USED. A NEW SERVICE LINE AND METER WERE INSTALLED ONCE THE NEW HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED. IN ORDER TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, THE NEW GAS METER WAS LOCATED ON THE GABLE END OF THE HOUSE.