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Lawn mower accident causes gas leak
Monica Garza/Staff photo - CoServ responded and repaired the broken underground natural gas pipe after a lawn mowing accident dislodged a metal ground rod that was mistakenly driven into the pipeline in 2006 by an electrician not part of the company.
By Emily Hill, ehill@starlocalnews.com
A neighborhood in Little Elm avoided a potentially disastrous accident Wednesday in the 3000 block of Del Ray Court--a lawn mowing incident dislodged a metal ground rod that was unknowingly lodged into an underground gas line.
Little Elm Police Department Captain Rodney Harrison received a phone call that his son was outside mowing the lawn at their home. His son, who attends Little Elm ISD, did not see a metal ground rod that was cut off at ground level and ran over it with the lawn mower. Harrison said the mower dislodged the rod, spewing natural gas everywhere.
Thankfully, the rod hitting the lawn mower blades did not create a spark, or an explosion could have occurred.
Kathryn Gloria, director of CoServ marketing and communications, said it appears that when the subdivision developer hired an electrician during the construction phase in 2006, apparently the electrician, who was not part of CoServ, put in ground rods for temporary electric service setup. Our crews report that the rod pierced the gas line at the time of the temporary electric meter base installation, she continued.
"When the permanent meter was set, it appears that the builder cut the ground rod off once it was no longer needed," Gloria said.
The rod did not appear initially to have caused a leak in the gas line until the lawn mower dislodged it from the pipe. Harrison and his family only moved into the home last year.
"People need to be aware of what's in their yard. We never noticed it there before [the mower] dislodged it from the pipe," Harrison said.
The Little Elm Fire Department received a call around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday about the gas leak. Responders blocked off the street and diverted traffic. The fire department left the scene around 1:30 p.m.
"The fire department controlled traffic and kept the area safe until CoServ could get [the gas] shut off," said Fire Marshal Brian Roach, who was not on scene.
CoServ received a call about the leak about 11:30 a.m. and were on-scene by 11:55 a.m. Workers temporarily turned off the gas line to Harrison's home and another residence for the initial repair Wednesday until late afternoon.
The company repaired the line temporarily so the residents could have access to hot water Wednesday night and remained available to relight gas pilots for homes. Thursday morning, CoServ returned to complete the permanent repair.
Gloria said CoServ's gas infrastructure is still fairly new so gas leaks are not a common occurrence.
"This is the first time I've heard of a situation quite like this," Gloria said. "It is definitely an anomaly."
On CoServ's online website, the company offers tips on recognizing a gas leak and what to do. Look for bubbling in standing water or discolored vegetation, listen for unusual hissing or roaring noises and smell the air for rotten eggs.
When a leak occurs, according to the website, immediately leave the area, abandon any equipment near the suspected leak, call 911 and immediately notify CoServ from a safe location and warn other to stay away from the site.
The site warns to not touch, breathe or make contact with the leaking gas, staying upwind of the leak. Do not light a match, start an engine, use a telephone, operate light switches or anything else that may create a spark. It also warn not to attempt to extinguish any pipeline fire that may start nor drive into a leak or vapor cloud area as vehicle engines may ignite vapors.
To report an emergency, call 911 and notify CoServ Gas at 940-321-7800 or 800-274-4014. Do not report gas emergencies, including leaks, online. For information about safety tips, visit www.coserv.com.
Gloria shared that the Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) just completed a week and a half long safety inspection of CoServ Gas. She said these inspections consist of a records inspection of regulatory required documentation such as regulator inspections, valve inspections, cathodic protection inspections and leak investigations; the inspectors then perform a field inspection to verify the records accurately reflect field conditions.
The inspection resulted in zero violations, she continued.
"In addition to the standard TRRC processes, the inspectors also completed a more intense inspection of our Operations and Maintenance Plan to verify our policies and procedures meet the minimum federal requirements within Part 192 of 49 CFR," Gloria said. "This inspection was requested by PHMSA and was performed using the federal format. This inspection also resulted in zero violations."
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