COLUMBIA GAS OF OHIO INC

Incident Narrative

ON MAY 3, 2016, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE EARLY-MORNING HOURS AT THE GASOLINE STATION AT THE ABOVE-REFERENCED ADDRESS. THE GAS STATION HAS BEEN UNDER REMEDIATION FOR A LARGE PETROLEUM RELEASE FROM UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS. ACCORDING TO INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY THE ASHLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYEES AT THE PROPERTY, AS WELL AS PATRONS OF THE STORE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, A CHEMICAL ODOR, NOT NATURAL GAS, WAS SMELLED ON SITE. A COLUMBIA SERVICE TECHNICIAN WAS ON SITE TO SET A GAS METER AT THE GAS STATION THE DAY PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION, MAY 2, 2016. COLUMBIA'S TECHNICIAN FOUND THE SERVICE LINE CURB VALVE IN THE ""OFF"" POSITION WHEN HE ARRIVED ON SITE. THE TECHNICIAN TURNED THE CURB VALVE TO THE ""ON"" POSITION BRIEFLY TO DETERMINE IF THE GAS SERVICE WAS ACTIVE, AND PROMPTLY TURNED THE CURB VALVE BACK TO THE ""OFF"" POSITION WHEN NO GAS WAS FOUND AT THE METER SETTING. THE CURB VALVE'S ""OFF"" POSITION WAS VERIFIED WHEN EXCAVATED FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, ON MAY 3, 2016, THE CURB VALVE AND THE CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE WERE EXPOSED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SERVICE LINE DOWNSTREAM OF THE CURB VALVE HAD BEEN SEVERED PRIOR TO THE MAY 2, 2016 SITE VISIT BY COLUMBIA. COLUMBIA TESTED THE CURB VALVE AND THE SERVICE LINE FROM THE MAIN UP TO THE CURB VALVE AND FOUND NO GAS LEAKAGE. ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016, COLUMBIA, ALONG WITH OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES, TOOK SAMPLES FROM SIX (6) LOCATIONS UNDER THE CONCRETE PAD OF THE STRUCTURE. THE RESULTS OF THE LABORATORY ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT VERY LOW LEVELS OF DEGRADED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS AND VERY LOW LEVELS OF NATURAL GAS WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME THE SAMPLES WERE TAKEN. COLUMBIA HAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT CANNOT BE ASCERTAINED TO ANY REASONABLE DEGREE OF CERTAINTY. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS REPORT A FINAL REPORT.