Natural Gas Pipeline Pierced in Gaviota
By an edhat reader
On Thursday afternoon construction crew for SB County Fire broke a 12 inch gas pipeline while cutting a road near the old Vista Del Mar school at Gaviota. As a result the entire San Julian valley is without natural gas. SoCal Gas crews were dispatched to disconnect and cap every gas service meter on the line between and Lompoc. An estimated 100 households are without cooking, heating and hot water for an as yet undisclosed time. Updates have been absent as residents wait for utility service to resume.
8 Comments
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May 11, 2019 02:54 PMCounty Fire is keeping this one on the QT...
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May 11, 2019 04:16 PMWhy ? It was the contractor, not them. I'd bet Co. Fire has to follow the same rules as we did in my 30 years at Co. Roads. They have to be marked out prior to any work and 12" lines are clearly marked already by So Cal Gas and are flown frequently to check for any work in the area so they would have known of the work and puts the big oops squarely on the contractor.
The last time a 12" was ruptured was out at Naples by a dozer, probably late '80 s. I was one of the lucky ones able to turn back using DP Cyn. Rd and got home in an hour and a half. Those for 1/2 mile ahead were stuck for several hours. You could hear the hissing from it from over the 1/2 mile.
Had a job near a 12" on Bella Vista Rd. back around then also and Gas had a rep on site almost daily. We had to bore into and use epoxy to break the boulders as we couldn't blast them.
The only incidents I ever had were a couple of small services and once the contractor hit the same one twice. Yes, they were clearly marked both times. Then and as for this incident Fire has to respond so no way to keep it on the QT.
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May 13, 2019 10:59 AMAre you saying you can pierce a high pressure 12-in line and it won't explode or catch fire? I bet those people in San Bruno wish they had been that lucky, but that line was bigger I think.
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May 14, 2019 10:08 AMYes, exactly what that. It has nothing to do with the size of line. Two 12" here ruptured, zero fires or explosions. You have to have an ignition source. It's why Fire responds to a break. Old gas stove, turn it on nothing, hold a match to it and viola, your burner lights. New ones have pilot lights or electronic ignition....that's the little click click one hears.
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May 11, 2019 04:25 PMConstruction worker cuts a big one. Releases gas to clear more than just a room.
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May 11, 2019 05:48 PMCall before you dig.
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May 12, 2019 07:19 AMAn truly bonehead move. I have seen and heard a 4" gas line break in a landslide. I cannot imagine the ghostly howl a 12" high pressure line gives off. Enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, run for cover and brace for an big explosion, I would imagine.
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May 12, 2019 08:45 AMIt's too easy for contractors to get licensing in CA