PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS

Incident Narrative

ON FEBRUARY 16TH, 2015 PGW RECEIVED A PHONE CALL AT 1:50 AM FROM THE PHILADELPHIA FIRE DEPARTMENT (PFD) CONCERNING A POSSIBLE EXPLOSION. PGW DISPATCHED FIRST RESPONDERS AT 1:59 WITH THE FIRST PGW EMPLOYEE ARRIVING ON LOCATION AT 2:17. UPON ARRIVAL, PGW CONFIRMED WITH THE PFD THAT AN EXPLOSION HAD OCCURRED AT 7912-14 ARDLEIGH ST. AKA 199 E. BENEZET ST. THE PFD EVACUATED A TOTAL OF TEN (10) PEOPLE WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED. ADDITIONAL PGW RESOURCES CONTINUED TO ARRIVE AND PERFORM HOUSE CHECKS AND LEAK MIGRATION CHECKS. THE INITIAL REPORT HAD THE FOLLOWING READINGS: 7912-14 ARDLEIGH - 50% GAS @ FFW, 192 BENEZET - 2% LEL @ FFW, 196 BENEZET - 25% LEL IN ATMOSPHERE & 10% LEL @ FFW. AFTER THE FIRST PGW DISTRIBUTION CREW ARRIVED (2:31), THEY MADE BAR HOLES TO VENTILATE THE GAS AND LOCATE THE LEAK. THE PGW FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIANS CONTINUED TO MAKE HOUSE CHECKS AND MONITOR GAS READINGS. THE DISTRIBUTION CREW COMPLETED THEIR INVESTIGATION AND BEGAN AN OPENING OVER A 1906 6' CAST IRON MAIN. AT 2:59 P.E.C.O. ARRIVED AND AT 3:00 THEY CUT OFF THE ELECTRIC TO 7912-14 ARDLEIGH ST. AT 5:10 A 6' CAST IRON BROKEN MAIN WAS REPORTED. AT 5:44 THE CAST IRON MAIN WAS TEMPORARILY WRAPPED AND THE JOB WAS DECLARED SAFE. AT 7:25 A STAINLESS STEEL SLEEVE WAS INSTALLED OVER THE BROKEN MAIN. ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2015 PGW CUT OUT THE SECTION OF 6' CAST IRON PIPE THAT INCLUDED THE BROKEN MAIN WITH A STAINLESS STEEL SLEEVE. THE REMOVED MAIN WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN EVIDENCE LOCKER AT PGW'S MAIN OFFICE (1800 N. 9TH ST., PHILADELPHIA PA 19122) FOR FUTURE ANALYSIS.