PG&E report counters lawyers’ contentions about buried pipeline

Pacific Gas & Electric issued a report Tuesday that says the gas pipeline that exploded in northwest Fresno in April was buried 4.7 feet in the ground as recently as the day before a county front loader doing work at the Fresno Sheriff’s Foundation shooting range allegedly struck it, causing an explosion that led to one death and 12 injuries.

The report follows up a report for the California Public Utilities Commission released Monday that confirms the loader’s shovel struck the gas line, sparking a nearly instantaneous rupture and explosion.

The report was released by PG&E to support its contention that the gas pipeline was buried and counters a previous contention by the county that dirt was being smoothed over on the dirt path above the shooting range.

Golder Associates of Redmond, Washington, contends in its conclusion that damage to the pipeline occurred when the road was being extended by excavating at the same level as the pipeline.

The report, produced for PG&E by Golder Associates, said that there appeared to be “a fresh pile of excavated material” at the site where the explosion occurred. Excavation occurred at the same elevation as the pipeline, the report said, striking the pipeline laterally from the side.

An aerial photograph shows “the pipeline alignment itself is well vegetated and undisturbed as late as April 16, 2015.” The report added that “soil along the pipeline, and in the area of the rupture, is undisturbed as evidence of the vegetative cover, and no recent grading activities are apparent.”

The topography was the same as the previous year until excavation began, the Golder Associates report says.

The California Public Utilities Commission previously received the Golder Associates report, PG&E spokesman Denny Boyles said. The company made no further statement.

PG&E contends that not only was the pipeline buried deep in the ground, but that pipeline signs were ignored and no calls were made to the toll-free 811 line to check for pipelines prior to digging in the area.

The report counters an assertion made by lawyers for injured victims in the explosion and the county that the pipeline was not buried deep enough in the dirt.

Fresno County Undersheriff Tom Gattie said he is unable to comment on the circumstances that led to the explosion.

“It really is still an open investigation,” he said. “Due to medical and other issues, we haven’t been able to interview the equipment operator. His medical situation is first and foremost to us.”

This story was originally published July 7, 2015 at 7:19 PM with the headline "PG&E report counters lawyers’ contentions about buried pipeline."