PEOPLES GAS SYSTEM INC
gas_distribution Incident — ESTERO, FL — March 17, 2017
Incident Information
| Incident Date | March 17, 2017 |
| Operator | PEOPLES GAS SYSTEM INC |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | ESTERO |
| State | FL |
| County | LEE COUNTY |
| Coordinates | 26.42989, -81.78000 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | "NEARBY INDUSTRIAL, MAN-MADE, OR OTHER FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE OF INCIDENT" |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $1,000 |
| Emergency Response | $3,000 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"ESTERO FIRE RESCUE CONTACTED THE PEOPLES GAS SYSTEM (PGS) CALL CENTER AT APPROXIMATELY 7:01 A.M. ON MARCH 17, 2017, TO NOTIFY THEM OF A NATURAL GAS LEAK AND IGNITION INCIDENT AT THE HAMPTON INN LOCATED AT 10611 CHEVROLET WAY, ESTERO, FL 33928. PGS IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED STAFF, WHO ARRIVED ONSITE AT 7:45 A.M. BY THE TIME THE PGS EMPLOYEES ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THE FIRE HAD BEEN EXTINGUISHED, AND THE GAS METER WAS TURNED OFF BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE PGS EMPLOYEES PROCEEDED TO EXCAVATE THE SERVICE LINE THAT SUPPLIED THE GAS METER, SQUEEZED THE GAS LINE OFF, THEN REMOVED THE GAS METER AND RISER PIPE. A NEW GAS METER AND RISER PIPE WERE INSTALLED, AND GAS SERVICE WAS RESTORED THE SAME DAY TO THE HAMPTON INN. IT IS BELIEVED THAT MULCH UNDER AND AROUND THE METER CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN UNEXTINGUISHED CIGARETTE THAT WAS LEFT THERE BY AN UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL. WHEN THE MULCH IGNITED, THE FIRE COMPROMISED THE GAS METER, WHICH BREACHED THE CASING AND ALLOWED GAS TO ESCAPE."
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.