COLUMBIA GAS OF OHIO INC

gas_distribution Incident — SALEM, OH

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorCOLUMBIA GAS OF OHIO INC
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CitySALEM
StateOH
CountyCOLUMBIANA
Coordinates40.87134, -80.88533

Cause

CauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries1

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

A DRIVER HEADED NORTHBOUND ON STATE ROUTE 9 LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE ON WET PAVEMENT AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE, A TREE, AND THE CAREY ROAD AND STATE ROUTE 9 REGULATOR STATION BUILDING. THE VEHICLE IMPACT SHEARED OFF A ONE-INCH PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE RESULTING IN THE IGNITION OF THE ESCAPING GAS AND CAUSING FIRE DAMAGE TO THE REGULATOR BUILDING, THE REGULATOR STATION AND THE VEHICLE. THE STATION'S MONITOR AND CONTROL REGULATORS FAILED OPEN DUE TO HEAT DAMAGE. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT COLUMBIA'S PIPELINE WAS OPERATING AT A PRESSURE OF 17 PSIG, AND COLUMBIA'S ENGINEERS CALCULATED THAT THE PRESSURE SUBSEQUENTLY REACHED APPROXIMATELY 120 PSIG. THE DRIVER OF THE CAR SUSTAINED BURNS AND WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL. COLUMBIA LEAK SURVEYED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 1300 FEET OF FIRST GENERATION PLASTIC MAIN LINE ALONG WITH NUMEROUS SERVICE LINES AND ALL OF THE SERVICE REGULATORS IN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A FINAL REPORT.

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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