Press Release

PUC Safety Division Provides Update on Investigation of January 2023 Incident in Port Richmond Section of Philadelphia

Published on 10/2/2023

Filed under: Gas Pipeline

No Evidence of Public Utility Natural Gas Equipment Causing the Explosion on Miller Street in Philadelphia, but Investigation is Ongoing

HARRISBURG – The Safety Division of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) – which is part of the Commission’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) – is continuing their thorough investigation into an incident in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia that occurred on New Years Day 2023. 

To date, the Safety Division has not found any evidence that public utility equipment caused the event, but that investigation remains active and ongoing. 

Additionally, the Safety Division continues to work closely with the Philadelphia Fire Marshal and is assisting with the ongoing review of events and equipment downstream of the utility’s natural gas meter inside the buildings, which remain the focus of this investigation but are outside the scope of the PUC’s jurisdiction.

Miller Street Incident Overview

In the early morning hours of New Year’s Day, on Jan. 1, 2023, pipeline safety engineers responded to the scene of a reported explosion in the 3500 block of Miller Street in Philadelphia that destroyed three homes, damaged numerous surrounding homes and buildings and injured several residents.   

While initial firefighting and recovery efforts were underway, investigators from the Safety Division began gathering preliminary information from residents, responders, and utilities around that location. After the initial fire and rescue activities concluded, safety engineers began a more detailed investigation at the site – working alongside other agencies who also responded to the incident.

The investigation by pipeline safety engineers included detailed interviews with Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) employees, first responders and residents; the extensive examination of physical jurisdictional evidence after the incident scene and surrounding structures were made safe and debris removed; the detailed review of utility operational records; the monitoring of service restorations and repairs around the incident site; and other observations by expert engineers. 

Leak surveys of two PGW natural gas mains and services located in the street did not identify natural gas leaks in the vicinity of the explosion and no integrity concerns were discovered on the service lines in the area.  

Testing of other PGW facilities around the incident site, including meters, is continuing, as is the analysis of natural gas passing through the meter immediately prior to the incident.

The Safety Division continues to investigate all jurisdictional assets and data.

It is important to note that I&E investigations are limited – by regulation – to the involvement of, or impact from, utilities and utility systems under the jurisdiction of the PUC, along with natural gas transported by those assets. I&E does not have jurisdiction to investigate items, events, or piping beyond the outlet of a service meter within a structure.

About the Safety Division and Bureau of Investigation & Enforcement

During all investigations by the Safety Division, data is gathered and analyzed – exploring the cause and circumstances surrounding an incident, along with whether there are any violations of state or federal pipeline safety regulations. Any determinations and/or actions are based on that information, within the scope of the PUC’s jurisdiction, and any safety concerns identified by investigators are addressed promptly with regulated pipeline operators and/or utilities.

Engineers from the Safety Division are in the field daily, conducting inspections of utility construction, operations, and integrity management activities. They also investigate issues discovered during their inspections, along with incidents, accidents and events reported by utility operators, emergency response agencies or the public.  

I&E, as the independent investigation and enforcement bureau of the PUC, enforces state and federal pipeline safety and motor carrier safety laws and regulations and represents the public interest in ratemaking and service matters before the PUC’s Office of Administrative Law Judge. I&E has the authority to bring enforcement action, seek emergency orders from the Commission or take other steps to enforce safety regulations and promote public safety.

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Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov