CONSUMERS ENERGY CO

Incident Narrative

CONSUMERS ENERGY WAS NOTIFIED AT APPROXIMATELY 13:01 ON FEBRUARY 16, 2015 A NATURAL GAS SERVICE LINE (1 1/8"" COPPER SERVICE LINE) LOCATED AT 2637 KINGSTOWNE DRIVE WAS PUNCTURED BY A GROUNDING ROD BEING INSTALLED (USING MOTORIZE EQUIPMENT) BY AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR WORKING ON-SITE. AT APPROXIMATELY 14:00 WHILE ON-SITE INVESTIGATING THE DAMAGES AND PERFORMING THE STANDARD PRECAUTIONARY ACTIONS NECESSARY TO MAKE THE AREA SAFE THE CE EMPLOYEE WAS INFORMED BY AN ELECTRICIAN WORKING ONSITE OF A FIRE NEAR THE FURNACE IN ONE OF THE UNITS. DAMAGE TO THE SERVICE LINE ALLOWED GAS TO MIGRATE THROUGH A BASEMENT FLOOR DRAIN AND IGNITE AT 2633 KINGSTOWNE DRIVE. THE FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE UNIT AND SEVERELY DAMAGED SEVEN (7) ADDITIONAL UNITS LOCATED IN THE BUILDING. THE KINGSTOWNE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX IS CENTRALLY METERED AND SHUTTING OFF GAS TO THE METER IMPACTED SERVICE TO MULTIPLE UNITS, LEAVING APPROXIMATELY FIFTY-FIVE (55) CUSTOMERS WITHOUT GAS SERVICE. PRIOR TO THE START OF THE FIRE, 3 RESIDENTS WERE EVACUATED. RESTORATION OF GAS SERVICE TO THE REMAINING STRUCTURES BEGAN THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 16TH AND WAS COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE SOURCE OF IGNITION IS UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT.