PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS

Incident Narrative

ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016, BETWEEN 07:00 AND 08:00 HUNDRED HOURS PGW RECEIVED MULTIPLE CALLS FROM CUSTOMERS CONCERNING SMOKE/ODORS COMING FROM THE STREETS IN THE VICINITY OF 900 S. 49TH STREET. PGW RESPONDED WITH PERSONNEL TO INVESTIGATE THE AREA. UPON ARRIVAL AND INVESTIGATION ON THE SCENE PGW FOUND HIGH CARBON MONOXIDE READINGS IN VARIOUS STRUCTURES AND HEAVY SMOKE COMING FROM TWO SEPTA MANHOLES. THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE AND ODORS WERE DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY AN UNDERGROUND SHORT IN SEPTA ELECTRICAL LINES CAUSING A BURN OUT. BETWEEN 11:30 AND 12:00 HUNDRED HOURS TWO SEPTA EMPLOYEES ATTEMPTED TO VENTILATE A SEPTA MANHOLE IN FRONT OF 915 S. 49TH STREET AND THE MANHOLE IGNITED. THE TWO SEPTA EMPLOYEES WERE BURNED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY THE PHILADELPHIA FIRE DEPARTMENT. AN ELECTRIC VENTILATOR USED BY THE SEPTA EMPLOYEES MAY HAVE BEEN THE IGNITION SOURCE. THROUGH INVESTIGATION PGW IDENTIFIED A LOCATION WITH HIGH NATURAL GAS READINGS NEAR THE SOUTH EAST CORNER OF 49TH STREET AND WARRINGTON STREET. PGW EXCAVATED AND FOUND A LEAKING 4 INCH CAST IRON MAIN THAT CROSSED OVER TOP OF THE SEPTA DUCT. ELECTRICAL ARCING FROM THE SEPTA WIRES CREATED A LARGE BURN HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 4 INCH CAST IRON GAS MAIN. A TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS MADE ON THE 4 INCH MAIN AS OF 16:20 HOURS ON 12/14/2016. THE MAIN WAS LATER ABANDONED PERMANENTLY.