Chris Russell | The Columbus Dispatch Firefighters search the debris after a gas explosion destroyed a home in Upper Arlington on March 21, 2015. (Chris Russell/Dispatch Photo) PUCO staff: Fine Columbia Gas $400K for Upper Arlington house explosion
By Earl Rinehart The Columbus Dispatch
Friday August 28, 2015 3:00 PM
A staff report recommends that Columbia Gas be fined $400,000 for a gas explosion that leveled an Upper Arlington house and damaged several others to the tune of $9 million.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio staff released the report today and will forward its recommendation to the commissioners, who will decide whether and how much to fine the utility.
Columbia Gas responded today that the report makes it clear that other parties were involved but, as company spokesman David Rau said, “The PUCO has oversight of Columbia Gas, but does not have oversight of those other entities.”
The commission’s investigation concluded last month that Columbia had failed to disconnect an old gas-service line that led to the destruction of Hidefumi and Mariko Ishida’s home at 3418 Sunningdale Way on March 21. The Ishidas were not at home and no one was injured in the explosion and fire.
According to the PUCO investigation, a Columbus Division of Water worker accidentally turned on the old gas line thinking he was shutting off water to the home. Gas collected at the base of the home and exploded a day later.
Eight other homes were left inhabitable.
Columbia officials earlier contended that they never received an order to disconnect the line decades ago.
The PUCO staff report also recommends that Columbia develop a program to “proactively identify inaccurate curb box locations” in their pipeline system.
The PUCO commissioners have no deadline to act