FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 20:34 ON 11/3/14, FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES (FPU) RECEIVED A CALL FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE THAT AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE HAD OCCURRED AT 417 PRIMAVERA AV IN PALM BEACH. FPU TECHNICIANS ARRIVED AT 20:57 AND DISCOVERED THE RESIDENCE AT THE ADDRESS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD SHUT OFF THE NATURAL GAS SERVICE METER TO THE RESIDENCE BUT NATURAL GAS WAS STILL FEEDING THE FLAMES. CREWS FROM FPU STOPPED THE FLOW OF GAS IN THE 3"" MAIN ON THE STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF PRIMAVERA AV AND COCOANUT ROW. THIS STOPPED THE FLOW OF GAS TO THE HOUSE AT 417 PRIMAVERA AVE. APPROXIMATLEY 25 ADDITIONAL RESIDENCES WERE AFFECTED BY THE FLOW OF GAS BEING STOPPED. THE GAS MAIN IS A 3"" BARE STEEL MAIN OPERATED AT 20 PSIG. THE SERVICE TO 417 PRIMAVERA IS A 3/4"" PE SERVICE OPERATED AT 20 PSIG. THERE ARE CONFLICTING PRELIMINARY REPORTS OF INJURIES FROM THIS RESIDNECE. THE INCIDENT COMMANDER FROM TOWN OF PALM BEACH FIRE RESCUE STATED ONE PERSON, A POSSIBLE PROPERTY CARETAKER, AND ONE PALM BEACH COUNTY FIREMAN WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED AT GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN WEST PALM BEACH. INITIAL NEWS REPORTS STATED THAT THE 82 YEAR OLD HOMEOWNER AND HIS WIFE WERE TREATED AND RELEASED FROM GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN WEST PALM BEACH. NEITHER OF THESE REPORTS CAN BE CONFIRMED AT THIS TIME (09:19 ON 11/4/14). SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE UPDATE 11/18/14: THE HOMEOWNER DETECTED LEAKING NATURAL GAS IN THE GARAGE AND EXITED THE GARAGE TO THE OUTSIDE WHEN THE GAS IGNITED FROM UNKOWN SOURCES. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE GAS ESCAPED THE MAIN UNDER THE PAVING IN THE STREET WHERE IT WAS IN CONTACT WITH A STEEL CONDUIT FOR AN AT&T PHONE CALBE AND A STEEL CONDUIT FOR THE ELECTRIC SERVICE TO THE HOUSE. THE ESCAPING GAS TRAVELED THROUGH HOLES IN THE GAS MAIN AND THE PHONE CONDUIT CREATED BY ELECTRICAL ARC BURNS. THE GAS ENTERED 417 PRIMAVERA VIA THE PHONE CONDUIT INTO THE GARAGE. THREE PERSONS WERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL AND ALL WERE EXAMINED AND RELEASED. THE 82 YEAR OLD HOMEOWNER WAS TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AND RELEASED. HIS WIFE WAS ALSO CHECKED OUT AND RELEASED. ONE FIREFIGHTER WAS TREATED FOR A KNEE INJURY SUSTAINED WHEN SHE TRIPPED OVER HOSE LINE AND RELEASED. UPON A PRESSURE TEST OF THE MAIN AND SERVICES ON THE STREET, ADDITIONAL ARC BURNS WERE DETECTED IN A 3/4"" PE SERIVCE IN THE STREET NEAR THE CONDUITS. THE 3"" BS GAS MAIN WAS INSERTED WITH 2"" PE AND THE SERVICES WERE REPAIRED AND ALL THE AFFECTED FACILITIES WERE PRESSURE TESTED AGAIN AND SERVICE WAS RESTORED TO THE REMAINING HOUSES ON THE STREET ON 11/6/2014. AT&T HAS ALSO REPLACED THE PHONE CABLE IN THE STREET AND ABANDONED THE STEEL CONDUIT BY 11/17/2014. FINAL - UPDATED NARRATIVE 2/25/15 A JOPINT INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY WAS CONDUCTED ON 12/4/2014 BY INVESTIGATORS FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT AND FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NATURAL GAS ENTERED THE GARAGE VIA A PHONE CONDUIT. THE GAS IGNITED IN THE GARAGE AND FUELED THE FIRE. IT WAS NOT DETERMINED HOW THE GAS ENTERED THE PHONE CONDUIT. A METALURGICAL INSPECTION OF THE STEEL PHONE CONDUIT AND GAS PIPE THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE WILL BE CONDUCTED AT THE FACILITIES OF SEA LIMITED, INC. IN JACKSONVILLE ON 3/17/2015. THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S REPORT, #14-3028 DATED 1/12/2015 LISTS THE CAUSE AS UNDETERMINED BUT DOCUMENTS FP&L EMPLOYEES VISIT TO THE HOME IN THE DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT AND OBSERVED CHARRING/SCORCH MARKS ON THE CONDUIT LEADING TO THE SMART METER ON THE ELECTRIC SERVICE AND THE NEED TO CONTACT AN ELECTRICIAN TO INVESTIGATE.