INDIANA GAS CO INC
gas_distribution Incident — FISHERS, IN — January 10, 2016
Incident Information
| Incident Date | January 10, 2016 |
| Operator | INDIANA GAS CO INC |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | FISHERS |
| State | IN |
| County | HAMILTON |
| Coordinates | 39.97331, -86.03289 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | ELECTRICAL ARCING FROM OTHER EQUIPMENT OR FACILITY |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $1,000 |
| Emergency Response | $800 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"AN ELECTRIC COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED A POWER LINE WAS DOWNED WHEN A TREE LIMB FELL DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW THAT HAD ACCUMULATED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED A RETIRED STEEL FUEL LINE WAS ENERGIZED BY THE DOWNED POWER LINE. THE RISER SERVING THE HOUSE WAS SITTING DIRECTLY ON TOP OF THE RETIRED STEEL FUEL LINE AND THE RETIRED FUEL LINE TERMINATED IN THE BASEMENT AND WAS UNCAPPED. WHEN THE RETIRED STEEL FUEL LINE BECAME ENERGIZED WITH THE APPROXIMATELY 7000 VOLTS, THE ACTIVE GAS RISER AND RETIRED FUEL LINE STARTED ARCING AT THE POINT OF CONTACT AND CAUSED A BURN HOLE IN BOTH PIPES APPROXIMATELY 1/4 BY 1/2. THIS CAUSED THE 58 PSIG GAS TO TRAVEL FROM THE HOLE IN THE RISER INTO THE HOLE OF THE RETIRED FUEL LINE AND DIRECTLY INTO THE BASEMENT AND IGNITION OF THE GAS HAPPENED NEAR THE FURNACE INSIDE THE BASEMENT. THE SERVICE TO THE HOUSE IS SCHEDULED TO BE PERMANENTLY RETIRED AT THE MAIN THE WEEK OF JUNE 12, 2016. ."
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.