 
John Galt
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Oceanside, OR | Could Happen To Anyone ...doing the same thing.
--
A is A | |
|
 | 
peter_m
Premium
join:2005-07-13
Canada, QC | I know what happened! The technician could have had a huge bowl of chilly for lunch and just fell asleep on the job. Then it was just a matter of time until someone lit a match...  | |
|
| | ftth_freak
join:2005-06-17
Ballwin, MO | Re: I know what happened! Your STUPID....two people died and your making a joke. | |
|
| | | 
lucky644
Premium
join:2002-02-04
| Re: I know what happened! said by ftth_freak  :Your STUPID....two people died and your making a joke. You're. It's You're. A contraction of You Are.
And they probably had it coming | |
|
| | | | 
Michieru
zzz zzz zzz
Premium
join:2005-01-28
Miami, FL | Re: I know what happened! Darn they come from /. and now they're on dslr. *hides* | |
|
| | |
peter_m
Premium
join:2005-07-13
Canada, QC | Well at least I didn't cause an explosion... maybe a bad joke but not an explosion. Thanx for being honest. | |
|
| 
91439306
15,000 Watts of Bass Power
join:2002-10-16
New Milford, CT | Re: Could Happen To Anyone When the hell are people going to wake up and realize that gas is dangerous? | |
|
| | jimk
Premium
join:2006-04-15
Raleigh, NC | Re: Could Happen To Anyone So is electricity. How many electrical fires are there each year? | |
|
| | |
91439306
15,000 Watts of Bass Power
join:2002-10-16
New Milford, CT
| Re: Could Happen To Anyone I will also note that electrical fires in single family dwellings are avoidable by heads of households who are knowledgeable to prevent the causes of fires.
Gas is not completely under the control of the homeowner, as in the case of some recent explosions in New Jersey and other parts of the country. When a pipeline blows up, it's like a nuclear bomb going off. In fact, that's what the residents of Durham Woods thought, as they saw the sky light up yellow that night.
Yes, electrical power distro facilities underground are dangerous too, but the damage is far less expansive. At Westchester Towers, an apartment complex in Yonkers, NY where one of my radio transmission facilities is housed on their rooftop, an underground transformer exploded and caught on fire. It destroyed 3 automobiles that were parked just above the underground vault containing the transformer. But it was a non-event compared to the smallest gas explosion.
--
Take care,
Mark & Mary Ann Weiss
My Kurzweil Music at: '»www.dv-clips.com/theater.htm
'»www.basspig.com Bass Pig's Lair
'»www.mwcomms.com
'»www.adventuresinanimemusic.com Stereo Feed! | |
|
Sweet Witch
Be the flame, not the moth.
Premium,MVM
join:2003-07-15
Gallifrey
 ·Comcast
| And this is why You call the utility companies beforehand!! How many times do we have to see the commercials about exactly this thing before we actually do it?
--
The most courageous thing you can do is be honest.
The weight of a tongue can destroy a person. | |
|
|
John Galt
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Oceanside, OR
| Re: And this is why said by Sweet Witch :You call the utility companies beforehand!! Just to clarify...
They will only do the utility side of the meter (gas, electric, whatever). If the line is on the customer side of the meter, then the property owner is responsible for the locating.
The article gives no clue as to what side was punctured...utility or customer.
--
A is A | |
|
| | 
major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Mission Viejo, CA
clubs:
| Re: And this is why said by John Galt :said by Sweet Witch :You call the utility companies beforehand!! Just to clarify... They will only do the utility side of the meter (gas, electric, whatever). If the line is on the customer side of the meter, then the property owner is responsible for the locating. The article gives no clue as to what side was punctured...utility or customer. To further clarify - Calling "the utilities" for a matter such as this one isn't the solution. No one will come out and check anything for cable-related matters other than the cable co. And if your cable co. tech is an idiot, then you're SOL-JWF just like the 2 dead people in the article. Cable connectivity is not considered a utility by the law.
--
The Toll
| |
|
| | |
John Galt
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Oceanside, OR
| Re: And this is why said by major marco :To further clarify - Calling "the utilities" for a matter such as this one isn't the solution. No one will come out and check anything for cable-related matters other than the cable co. Calling the 'underground service alert' line for your area will notify ALL of the 'utilities'...cable company included.
--
A is A | |
|
| | | |
major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Mission Viejo, CA
clubs:
| Re: And this is why said by John Galt :Calling the 'underground service alert' line for your area will notify ALL of the 'utilities'...cable company included. Interesting. Where would I find that #.
--
The Toll
| |
|
| | | | |
John Galt
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Oceanside, OR
| Re: And this is why said by major marco :said by John Galt :Calling the 'underground service alert' line for your area will notify ALL of the 'utilities'...cable company included. Interesting. Where would I find that #. Google 'utility notification dig' or look in the front of your phone book or call any utility.
Easy!
--
A is A | |
|
| | | | | | 
malvado
I pee on Bushes.
join:2003-09-13
00001 | Re: And this is why And to clarify even.. you MUST call for a locate when doing ANY kind of digging, that includes driving groundrods.
In california, it's digalert.org | |
|
| | | | | dOoD1379
join:2005-04-20
Elk Grove, CA | Underground Service Alert 1(800)227-2600 | |
|
| | 
i1me2ao
join:2001-03-03
TEXAS | here in texas they will go from your house until the edge of property.
for free.. | |
|
| 
rawgerz
In Debt we trust
Premium
join:2004-10-03
Grove City, PA | How can you pierce a iron/steel gas line with a 6 foot copper rod? And how did the gas get inside the house from outside? | |
|
| | alfnoid
Premium,MVM
join:2002-02-18
·Comcast
| Re: And this is why said by rawgerz :How can you pierce a iron/steel gas line with a 6 foot copper rod? And how did the gas get inside the house from outside? Cause most gas lines put in over the last several years are plastic.
peace | |
|
| | | 
Corehhi
join:2002-01-28
Bluffton, SC | Re: And this is why Their using hard plastic for gas lines now? I wouldn't call that safe. | |
|
| | | | backness
join:2005-07-08
K2P OW2 | Re: And this is why no spark, sparky | |
|
| | | | 
Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium
join:2001-11-29
Erie, PA
| said by Corehhi :Their using hard plastic for gas lines now? I wouldn't call that safe. So you'd rather have the rusty metal?
I'm sure that if someone was really determined to drive that ground rod in they could puncture metal pipe too.
--
Early to rise, early to bed;
Makes a man healthy but socially dead. | |
|
| | | | Shark_615
join:2006-01-17
Pickering, ON
| You think using a heavy material that corrodes easily, can create sparks AND carry an electric current safer then a nuetral, non-corrosive and non-conductive material that will not create sparks under any circumstances?
Scary. Not to mention that the approved piping for this sort of thing is tested and certified under very strict rules right? | |
|
| | DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| said by rawgerz :How can you pierce a iron/steel gas line with a 6 foot copper rod? And how did the gas get inside the house from outside? Incoming gas lines are yellow plastic of some sort, with only the risers at each end being metal. A metal spike hammered into the ground would easily go through this. Given that the ground rod would be within a few inches of the house I would have thought that it wouldn't be too hard for the gas to creep in somehow. | |
|
| | | mwf
join:2000-11-26
Granite Quarry, NC | Re: And this is why The yellow plastic is just sheathing, the actual gas line inside the yellow is metal and flexible. | |
|
| | | | DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| Re: And this is why said by mwf :The yellow plastic is just sheathing, the actual gas line inside the yellow is metal and flexible. Are you sure? I must admit I have never seen the inside of a gas line here, but I know in England the lines look identical and they are 100% plastic. Are you sure you are not confusing the meter-to-house connection with the main gas lines which can be metal coated in yellow plastic. Even if they are metal, the fact that it is flexible means it is also thin. | |
|
| | | | alfnoid
Premium,MVM
join:2002-02-18
·Comcast
| said by mwf :The yellow plastic is just sheathing, the actual gas line inside the yellow is metal and flexible. Sheathing is only on the tracer wire buried with it.
The lines that I have had exposure to are 100% plastic.
In fact, if the tracer wire has been cut you can't even locate the lines and you must dig until you can find the tracer wire to be able to locate it.
(I am a former locator and gas was one of my utilities)
peace | |
|
| | | | | tmies
join:2002-10-11
Champaign, IL
| Re: And this is why Plastic Gas line is made of HDPE (high density polyethylene). I installed the same material for high pressure CO2 gas a couple years ago. I has a high pressure rating, and typical 5x burst rating, so it is very safe as long as it not punctured. It is naturally black, but has yellow pigment added for nat. gas id. The material with flex metal liner mentioned above is for inside distribution. | |
|
| | | | ltship
join:2002-08-11
Sturgeon Bay, WI
| there are gas lines that are totally plastic, from the main in the street to the service connecting it to the metal riser to the meter at the facility it is serving. Here in WI you can have up to 8" mains in newer areas that are plastic (without a metal or sleeved insert).
Most states have a "One Call" facility to handle locate before you dig services. In this case, it is not the home owners responsibility to call in the locate, it is the cable company or their installers responsibility. It does not say if this was a aerial to the home, and the installer was grounding the interface box on the side of the home, or was a direct buried to the home and he was again installing a interface box that needed grounding.
It doesn't take much to punch a hole in a plastic service line to a home. Investigated allot of those type damages in my time, luckly without loss of life. | |
|
| | 
captokita
Premium
join:2005-02-22
Calabash, NC
| said by rawgerz :How can you pierce a iron/steel gas line with a 6 foot copper rod? And how did the gas get inside the house from outside? Well, my guess would be, since the installer was injured as well, it happened as he was sinking the rod. When the rod pierced the gas line, it sparked and blew the thing up, since the line is attached to the house, the gas in the house went up as well.
Scary. It's possible (probable) the installer never knew there was a gas line there. Bad communications..... if you have to pound in a ground rod, you should ask if there's a chance you may hit something. (power, gas) - just as the homeowner should know where the lines come in. Again, they probably didn't know what the installer was doing either. | |
|
| | | DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| Re: And this is why said by captokita :Well, my guess would be, since the installer was injured as well, it happened as he was sinking the rod. When the rod pierced the gas line, it sparked and blew the thing up, since the line is attached to the house, the gas in the house went up as well.] From the article, it sounds like the installer realised what he may have done and reported it, and subsequently the gas company came to investigate. It was then that the explosion happened. This does beg the question as to why the installer didn't immediately close the valve at the meter. Perhaps he was too busy smoking a cigarette! | |
|
| | | |
Michieru
zzz zzz zzz
Premium
join:2005-01-28
Miami, FL | Re: And this is why Or he probably knew nothing in regards to gas and simply said "I am not touching anything". | |
|
| | | |
malvado
I pee on Bushes.
join:2003-09-13
00001
| said by DMS1 :said by captokita : This does beg the question as to why the installer didn't immediately close the valve at the meter. Perhaps he was too busy smoking a cigarette! That wouldn't have stopped any explosion, since he probably hit the service line which is before the meter. | |
|
| | 
SteveCon
IBEW 2222 Boston, MA
Premium
join:2004-09-02
Burlington, MA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| A ground rod is copper plated STEEL. It's nearly impossible to drive a 5/8" diameter 100% COPPER rod more than a foot or two in most soils before it bends.
The gas piping around here (that's not some sort of plastic /PVC material) is black iron - (both of) which can be cracked or shattered when struck under the right circumstances.
CATV guys get to drive only 6 footers?? Those lucky bas*ards! The NEC specifies 8 footers for grounding electrical systems ::sigh::
--
United we bargain, divided we beg. | |
|
| | | DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Carrollton, TX
| Re: And this is why said by SteveCon :A ground rod is copper plated STEEL. It's nearly impossible to drive a 5/8" diameter 100% COPPER rod more than a foot or two in most soils before it bends. I believe that gas lines are only required to be buried 18" down so I'm sure that unless the soil was really hard a couple of good swipes with a hammer would have reached the line and gone straight through it. | |
|
| | | bogey780
join:2004-03-19
Covington, LA
| BellSouth proper grounding specifies the equipment should be grounded to in order of importance the ground wire, ground rod, dedicated #6 ground wire set to ground bar, and the metal pipe or box. If a ground rodis placed it has to be bonded to one of the power grounding options. The telco equipment should not be on a seperate ground whatsoever from the power as the possibility of a diferential exists. | |
|
| | | 
acid343211
Hallo lisa Aus Amerika
Premium
join:2001-08-31
Byron, GA
edit:
December 1st, @05:19PM
| said by SteveCon :A ground rod is copper plated STEEL. It's nearly impossible to drive a 5/8" diameter 100% COPPER rod more than a foot or two in most soils before it bends. I had to ground my Dish with a 7 ft rod you can do it. not Impossible,
--
Visit-fromisrael2lebanon.info/
israel uphold un 242-338 resolution | |
|
| | | |
| | |
|
i1me2ao
join:2001-03-03
TEXAS
·Comcast
| to me when i trenched yards, the company found shutoffs and called utlitity company before hand. it was called job planning. it does not take away from profit, hell it adds it. when cutting corners you receive the above..
--
(insert company name)we are not responsible for defective products or could care less about your product after we have your cash.. | |
|
Bell System
Premium
join:2005-12-04
Strongsville, OH | Killed the gas co. employee The story reads the Comcast employee was burned, not killed. | |
|
manfmmd
Premium
join:2003-01-14
Earth
clubs:
edit:
December 1st, @01:25PM
| The Comcast Employee... lived..
It was the Vectren Employee that died:
Vectren Corp. officials said telephone call recordings indicated the Comcast worker might have damaged the line, and a Vectren Energy Delivery employee was sent to the house.
The employee, Robert “Alan” Dalrymple, 50, was killed in the subsequent blast, along with 75-year-old Emilie Wilson, a resident of the home.
NVM | |
|
| 
NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX | Re: The Comcast Employee... Poor guy. And sheesh I'm probably related to that guy on my mom's side.
--
Ubuntu Tips »www.ubuntutips.org | |
|
dadarkside
Premium
join:2006-05-20
The Moon | No where in the article does it say The Comcast employee caused it. What's reported is "speculation" of the initial investigations. | |
|
|
RIRWIN1983
join:2005-08-30
Columbus, OH | Here come he lawyers I can smel a wrongfull death lawsuit being hatched by the homowners hudbnd against comcast comming. | |
|
HyPeRbAnD
join:2006-01-07
Stow, MA | Thats to bad for their families Everyone should know about calling to have all UG utilities located before you pound in a ground rod. That is tragic especially during the holiday's. | |
|
Cod
join:2000-07-05
Greensboro, NC | odd... Another question is why was he sinking a ground rod? He should attach his ground to the power co ground as to not cause a difference in potential. | |
|
|
See 12 replies to this post |
|
Trinijoy
Premium
join:2005-09-12
Brick, NJ | God... Omg that installer is scared for life now.
Literally, and metaphorically. | |
|
Emiya
join:2006-03-30
Southington, OH
| A lot of people to blame. Maybe I missread the article, but they seemed to know they punctured a gasline and then called the gas company?
First off, yes you should know what's under the ground you're working on before you do stuff like that. But once they knew they possibly hit a gas line, shouldn't the Comcast installer or the tech from Vectren Corp.have them and surrounding houses evacuate? Also, wouldn't they shut off the gas immediately? | |
|
|
See 12 replies to this post |
|
Gardener
Premium
join:2006-10-19
Burnaby, BC
 ·TELUS
| A matter of economics A few years back we had some major landscaping done. The contractor dug down to the gas line at the meter end and at the street, and deduced that the pipe was buried two and a half feet down. A few minutes later, he discovered that it rose in the middle, as he ripped it out with his bobcat. That resulted in our road being closed, emergency crews, and $1100 in bills from the gas company. The contractor said it wasn't worth calling - and paying - for the gas company to tag the line because usually it is obvious where the line goes. He was no fly-by-night operator; he and his crew do excellent work, and they are highly regarded by customers. | |
|
| 
KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
edit:
December 1st, @07:32PM
| Re: A matter of economics Even "tagging" where the line went would of been useless in your instance.... Seems your contractor already knew *where* the line was.... Problem is, it's depth was not consistent. I doubt the the Gas companies marker flags would of told you that, either. | |
|
Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26 | Move along it was Adelphia's old infrastructure that caused the explosion. Comcast is investing millions of dollars to see that ... sorry, wrong line of BS for the topic.
--
"I am not young enough to know everything."
Oscar Wilde | |
|
madman7th
join:2004-09-27
Bloomington, IL | Hrm..something smells *Sniff sniff* I smell to things: The aftermath of the people who were burned in the blaze (may they RIP) and a pretty big lawsuit on Comcast's hands. | |
|
| PittsPgh
join:2003-08-21
Pittsburgh, PA
| Re: Hrm..something smells said by madman7th :*Sniff sniff* I smell to things: The aftermath of the people who were burned in the blaze (may they RIP) and a pretty big lawsuit on Comcast's hands. This isn't the first time. Happened about a year ago here outside Pittsburgh,Pa
»www.wpxi.com/news/4717601/detail.html
Another thing. the ground rod would have been placed right next to the building. He must have been right next to the gas meter for this to have happened.
Paul | |
|
AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß | Two words Dig Safe | |
|
|
Michieru
zzz zzz zzz
Premium
join:2005-01-28
Miami, FL | Re: Two words Time to take out those tweezers and start moving dirt grain by dirt grain. CAREFUL SAND GRAIN! | |
|
ernieJohnstn
join:2005-02-27
Lilburn, GA |  If only drops were fiber
Two additional problems solved while increasing bandwidth!
eJ | |
|
| 
macrospect
All The Little Stuff
Premium
join:2005-08-25
Doylestown, PA
·Comcast
edit:
December 1st, @04:31PM
| Re: If only drops were fiber I was waiting to see a fiber comment. 
Technically speaking it really matters where the lightning strikes. Since some of Comcast's HFC network is fiber, it depends if it strikes where the fiber runs are or the coax runs.
EDIT: And for the record Verizon has blown up a house installing fiber as well. Well, actually they fried a house when their backhoe went through a underground power line. | |
|
| 
smajchrz
join:2003-10-11
Chantilly, VA | Not so. My ONT is indeed grounded. | |
|
| |
macrospect
All The Little Stuff
Premium
join:2005-08-25
Doylestown, PA | Re: If only drops were fiber Yeah, but if the trunk gets hit, there is a really good chance it won't reach your home. I imagine the ONT is grounded to protect the ONT itself. | |
|
| | | 
MadMANN
Premium
join:2005-08-19
·Comcast
| Re: If only drops were fiber Grounding is not just for lightning. As a matter of fact, lightning would be where the ground would be the most useless. A #12-10 gauge wire and a lightning hit? Think about it.
said by macrospect :I imagine the ONT is grounded to protect the ONT itself. Correct. Just as the ground at the house is to protect the cable equipment. However, if there is no ground, be it on an ONT or a cable ground block, and an electrical surge occurs from the house power, the surge can go through any equipment that is connected to any copper associated with the ungrounded service. So even if there is fiber coming to the house, damage can still be done by the copper that connects to it. | |
|
| battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000
| A few years ago KMC Telecom in our area had a lighting strike that damaged part of their fiber ring. I was thinking WTF? It's fiber.
If you have ever noticed that fiber and copper are hung the same way. You have a steel cable that spans from pole to pole. Then you have a device, if I remember right, is called a spanner or something like that. It spools out a thin metal wire that wraps around the steel cable and the fiber or copper.
So what happened was lighting struck a pole and the lighting traveled from one pole to the other via the steel cable. In the process it melted the fiber.
I wonder why the Comcast tech was driving a ground rod in the first place. The home should have already had a ground and they should have connected to the existing ground. You can end up with more damage with multiple grounds. You should always bond all grounds to one spot. | |
|
Botched Comcast Install Blows Up House
·
