NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP

Incident Narrative

ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2023, AT 03:14, THE NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORPORATION D/B/A NATIONAL GRID (""NATIONAL GRID"" OR THE ""COMPANY"") UPSTATE NY (UNY) GAS DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED BY THE MADISON COUNTY 911 CALL CENTER THAT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC (WHO WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH 30 SEPARATE CRIMES, INCLUDING GRAND LARCENY 3RD AND 4TH DEGREE, CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, DWI, AND TRAFFIC VIOLATION) DROVE A VEHICLE INTO THE GAS METER OF A RESIDENCE AT 532 WEST ELM STREET. THE GAS SYSTEM AT THE LOCATION BEGAN TO LEAK GAS. THE UNY GAS DISPATCH ORGANIZATION INITIATED ITS AFTER-HOURS CALL-OUT PROCEDURES. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NATIONAL GRID'S CUSTOMER METER SERVICE (CMS) ORGANIZATION ACCEPTED THE CALL OUT AT 03:24 AND ARRIVED AT THE SITE AT 04:05 AFTER THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD EVACUATED SIX OF THE NEIGHBORING HOMES AT 521, 526, 529, 531, 537, AND 538 WEST ELM STREET. THE CMS REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THAT GAS AT 532 WEST ELM STREET WAS BEING RELEASED AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE DESTROYED THE RISER CAUSING GAS TO BE RELEASED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CMS REPRESENTATIVE FOLLOWED STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES TO LOCATE AN ALTERNATIVE POINT OF SHUT OFF (THE PRIMARY SHUT OFF AT THE RISER WAS DESTROYED) AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NO CURB VALVE PRESENT. AT 04:25 THE CMS REPRESENTATIVE CALLED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM GAS FIELD OPERATIONS (GFO). UNY GAS DISPATCH INITIATED ITS AFTER-HOURS CALL-OUT PROCEDURES FOR GFO SUPPORT AT 04:41. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NATIONAL GRID'S GFO ORGANIZATION ACCEPTED THE CALL OUT AT 04:46 AND ARRIVED AT THE REPORTED SITE AT 06:31. WHILE THE GFO CREW WAS EN ROUTE, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 05:55. THE CMS FIRST RESPONDER NOTIFIED UNY GAS DISPATCH OF THE EXPLOSION AT 05:58. FOLLOWING GAS FIELD OPERATIONS (GFO) ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE AT 06:31, THE CREW EXCAVATED THE SERVICE TO ACCESS THE GAS DISTRIBUTION SERVICE PIPE AND SHUT OFF GAS SUPPLY TO THE INCIDENT LOCATION AT 532 WEST ELM STREET. GAS WAS CONTROLLED AT 07:10. AFTER WITNESSING THE EXPLOSION, THE CMS FIRST RESPONDER CALLED FOR FURTHER CMS SUPPORT. ADDITIONAL CMS PERSONNEL ARRIVED ON SCENE TO ASSIST AND THEN RELIEVE THE INITIAL FIRST RESPONDER AND TO SHUT OFF GAS SERVICE TO FIVE OF THE SURROUNDING HOMES AT: 526, 529, 531, 537 AND 538 WEST ELM STREET AND REMOVE THE GAS METERS. THE HOUSE LOCATED AT 521 WEST ELM STREET WAS EVACUATED BUT GAS SERVICE WAS NOT SHUT OFF. IT WAS LATER REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS STOLEN. NATIONAL GRID DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SEVERED THE SERVICE RISER IN ADDITION TO DAMAGING THE METER. NOTE, PART A, QUESTION 22, REPRESENTS A MINIMUM ESTIMATE OF 1 CUSTOMER PER RESIDENCE EVACUATED.