CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS CORP

Incident Narrative

A SUB-CONTRACTOR FOR A SITE CONTRACTOR WAS DRIVING STEEL SHEET SHORING IN THE GROUND ON TURKEY CREEK RD. THE SHEET SHORING STOPPED ABOUT 8' DEEP AND WOULD NOT DRIVE ANY FURTHER. THE SITE CONTRACTOR USED A TRACK HOE TO DIG DOWN TO SEE WHAT THE OBSTRUCTION WAS AND STRUCK A 6"" STEEL GAS MAIN AND POKED A SMALL HOLE IN THE PIPE. FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES (CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS) TECHNICIANS WERE DISPATCHED AND CLOSED A KEY VALVE AND A SYSTEM VALVE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE DAMAGE, STOPPING THE ESCAPING NATURAL GAS. DUE TO THE DEPTH OF THE PIPE AND EXTENSIVE GROUND WATER, A NEW SECTION OF STEEL PIPE WILL NEED TO BE INSTALLED BY DIRECTIONAL BORE. THE SUB-CONTRACTOR DID NOT HAVE A VALID LOCATE TICKET, THE SITE CONTRACTOR WHO HIT AND PUNCTURED THE LINE DID HAVE MULTIPLE VALID LOCATE TICKETS. A CONTRACT LOCATOR FOR FPU HAD PREVIOUSLY MARKED MULTIPLE TICKETS BUT DID NOT MARK THE LAST UPDATE TICKET AND PUT IN THE NOTES THAT IT WAS AN ONGOING PROJECT. A CONTRACTOR FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS BEGAN REPLACING THE DAMAGED PIPE BY DIRECTIONAL BORE ON 9/26/23. THE NEW 6"" MAIN WAS INSTALLED, PIGGED, TESTED, TIED IN, PURGED AND PUT BACK IN SERVICE ON 10/17/23. 12/29/2023 - FINAL REPORT. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED INFORMATION. 1/4/2024 - NEW SUPPLEMENTAL AND FINAL TO MAKE CHANGES TO A (4) AND C (3A) SUGGESTED BY PHMSA SENIOR INVESTIGATOR, ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DIVISION.