CONSUMERS ENERGY CO

Incident Narrative

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 22:15 A VEHICLE TRAVELING NORTH ON PENNSYLVANIA AVE. WAS REAR-ENDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF PENNSYLVANIA AVE. AND MAY ST., CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO EXIT THE ROADWAY AND STRIKE THE GAS METER LOCATED AT 800 N. PENNSYLVANIA AVE., LANSING, MICHIGAN (EATON COUNTY). THE METER STAND AND THE SERVICE RISER WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION CAUSING A RELEASE OF GAS. AT APPROXIMATELY 22:23 THE RELEASED GAS IGNITED AND AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE STRUCTURE. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND THE OCCUPANTS OF THE HOME EVACUATED BEFORE THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED. NO FATALITIES OR INJURIES OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT. THE LANSING POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE ONSITE AND HAD TRAFFIC BLOCKED AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION. TWO ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES LOCATED DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST SUSTAINED DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSION. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE STRUCTURE TO THE EAST WERE EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURY AFTER THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED. THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH WAS UNOCCUPIED. CONSUMERS ENERGY GAS SERVICE WORKERS PERFORMED BAR TESTING TO ENSURE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF GAS MIGRATION TO ADJACENT STRUCTURES AND NO GAS WAS DETECTED. THE 1 1/4"" PLASTIC DISTRIBUTION MAIN WAS SQUEEZED SOUTH OF THE INCIDENT LOCATION SHUTTING GAS DOWN AT APPROXIMATELY 00:15. THE TEMPORARY SHUT-DOWN RESULTED IN AN INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE TO SIX CUSTOMERS. SERVICE TO THE IMPACTED CUSTOMERS WAS RESTORED ON AUGUST 3, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:00 FOLLOWING THE DEMOLITION OF THE DAMAGED STRUCTURE.