Wait? Fire is expected to mitigate natural gas leaks? Wow. In our city, the gas company does that. We send nearly a full box assignment, secure water supply, deploy protection lines, evacuate necessary buildings and conduct air monitoring of buildings/areas where gas could collect. We absolutely do not get in holes and do not secure line. Generally the natural gas co has a response team, and they usually will try to locate shut-offs near the cut. If that won't work, then they will generally use temporary clips to seal the pipe. But fire is not expected, nor trained to mess with their equipment.
"Fire is expected to mitigate gas leaks" to answer your question, no. We are not expected to totally handle these situations. The gas company is dispatched along with hazmat, a full building assignment ( for support) and all of the other support you had mentioned that you do in your city, we do the same. But us being city of Miami fire department we are a very aggressive department and if we feel we can handle a situation in lieu of sitting around twiddling our thumbs in view of the public we are very capable, able and willing to do pretty much the same exact thing the gas company is going to do ( in its initial response)
Wisconsin it's up to gas companies. I work construction sewer/water and road work. Any line hit under 2 inches we crimp off or pound a plug into the pipe. Call the gas company and keep working.
Nice work, Mauricio. Beats having to wait for the gas company to send out a team when you guys are already on scene and can stop the leak. Whatever you’re getting paid, it’s not enough.
Well my friend I can assure you that its not a claw hammer it is indeed a mallet. I couldn't tell you the exact chemical composition of the mallet but it feels like a hard plastic type of material. Also, to address your earlies comment of sparking, yes we do take precautions in case something were to happen for instance using non sparking tools, having a manned extinguisher of purple k 10ft away as well as having a charged 1inch 3/4 line near the hole. Keep in mind the we live in Miami fl were the humidity is always near 80 to 100% the majority of the time, an environment not conducent for much sparking. Where about in the world are you located my friend?
Believe it or not, in that hole, with gas at pressure, there was little chance of it taking fire. The gas to air ratio is wrong. Methane, because it's heavier than air, would be replacing all the oxygen in the hole.
Hey thanks for sharing this. It just gives another perspective of not just other things Firefighters do; but also the dangers they put them selves in. To you and every other First Responder I salute you all amd say thank youn very much!
Well dude the use of the tac stick was awesome... not sure whose idea the saddle clamp was but you didn’t need it, you had no way to ground static electricity, you didn’t have enough access to properly install it without removing your PPE, and the pipe should have been prepped and soap water put on the clamp for it to work properly. All you needed for this call was a sharpshooter shovel and that mustang GLS26 that the firefighter outside the hole is leaning on but not using (maybe 2 if double fed). But bro WHERE are the monitors?? Gas company employees in jeans and FF’s with no PPE standing over your head while you bang on an ungrounded rig with a hammer and no gloves? You gotta make a hot zone with monitors and wear your gear or you are taking risk and getting nothing for that risk.
Protip for everyone commenting: Even if it's a clawhammer, that gas WILL NOT EXPLODE IF UEL. Chances are, they actually checked the area with a QRAE to determine what the limits were before they made entry
No way is it safely above the UEL. Natural gas is mostly methane. Methane is lighter than air, so it will make a draft that pulls oxygenated air into the hole. Even if they were working with a heavier gas, remember that there's oxygen coming from the scba exhaust too. Any ventilation is the enemy and the idea of "safely" above UEL is incredibly sketchy. For chemical engineers, sure, oxygen-free atmosphere is a reasonable concept but holy hell it's not for entry.
It's unlikely anywhere near the UEL in this outdoor environment. I would bet it would be 20,00 ppm or 20% at its highest right inside the hole. That's about a four time safety factor until it could even possibly ignite. @@jordanrodrigues8265
Unnecessary risk. RISK BENEFIT ANALYSIS Risk a lot to save a lot. Risk a little to save a little, Risk nothing to save nothing. Hope you're getting some money from the Gas Co for doing their job.
thats crazy they are useing a steel hammer to dig out ,what if whilst ther were laying that pipe a steel bolt was accidently left next to the pipie, dont suppose they would have to worry about the leak ,as it would be a explosion with 2 dead firemen,thats just bloody stupid move.
Its a wonder they don't blow themselves up in Miami. Digging a hole to god knows where without checking for whats there and no regard for the fact that metal against rock could cause a spark when digging next two a 2" gas line, with a bunch of people walking around without gear on. Have you seen these things light up? its not a small event.
GAH! seems like forever, have to use hand tools. I guess the gas content was so high, sparking wasn't an issue, no oxygen to support a fire. Time to rethink your gas tool kit perhaps. I know the US Navy has pipe patching kits for high pressure water, might want to look into that.
The worry is static ele from the gas If the gas is not entering leave it till it's shut down. Plastic lines are worst than steel. Those firefighters are putting them self in danger of a fire. Sorry worked for 20 yrs in gas co
Absolutely.. soapy burlap..or static depressant spray.. I've seen a 2" main ignite will installing squeezers without static mitigation .. not a good time.
Lot of things wrong here. Pretty sure that clip they're using is not made for gas pipe, Second their tools are not grounded, and third why is a fire department messing with a gas leak, where I'm from the fire department responds in case of an explosion or fire but the gas and electric company take care of the leak to stop it.
Hi...im from iran....im working in emergency gas team help in city....ur work is very good but it have two mistake...1...u use a metal hammer....its dangerous.... Because metal hammer make explosion.... 2...ur operation is very long time
I'm sorry but this is about as bad as one can attempt to stop the flow of natural gas. I would advise their superiors to have them get with a gas company to relieve the proper training on this. The hammer doesn't look to be brass. Then rubbing his glove up and down the plastic gas main there is a no-no. At minimal they should have used some soapy water or anti static spray. Also is that camera intrinsically sound? If an employee at my company fixed a leak the way they did, they'd be suspended or FIRED.
DJkayoo to find the valve for that pipe would be nearly impossible because it is underground and if you shut off the that network there will be enough gas in the pipe to keep leaking for hours
Valves are accessible from above ground. Depending on where in relationship to rupture, gas could stop shortly or run for some time. I work construction and most times we stop leak ourselves. Gas companies then come out. Firemen come sometimes but never touched a thing.
I love how every person in the comment section is a professional gas tech and firefighter and chemical engineer and fucking scientist How about you all stock to your jobs and let these people do theirs
I think it the fire fighters were doing wrong by using the hammer to dig in close that pipeline. This could lead to creat a spark and the seteuation could be worse. Do you agree with me?
You're right for thinking that but what you can't see is that the few tools we are using are made of anti- sparking materials. In all due honesty it is a crude operation but it really is the only way to handle at that particular moment. Believe me precautions are taken for our safety and I personally have two babies I'd like to come home to so have no worries and thank you for your comment
i work for the company who paints the utilities trust me they dont think shit happens when this happenes lol im also on the vfd in my town and we don't deal with this yes we will get called out but usually the gas company in this area (vectren) is good about getting out there to fix it
Here in Miami it happens more often then you think especially with all the new construction and road work going on. Some of the times we have different construction sites just feet from each other. Last shift we had two different gas leaks at different times from different locations after midnight. Fun fun!!!
Lol have to love that and with the job im in if it happens i got no matter what i have to be on site because im with the utility company even if the fd dosent get paged out i still have to go
Spencer Berklite Hitting rocks with metal has the potential of a spark depending on the kind of rock. The gas line should have been depressurized. This can’t be a permanent repair, is it?
The hissing sound you hear is not the scba, it's the actual compressed natural gas leaking from a broken pipe buried underground. It's the same natural gas that feeds homes and businesses which is used for heating, cooking etc..
Just to add to that, natural gas lines inside a home are at ~1/4 PSI, natural gas lines outside the home can be 10-50 PSI or more. So thats a relatively large line with a lot of pressure on it. Had to be pretty loud.
Amateur hour. Ratcheting gear wrench would have had that done up real quick. No Bullshit adjusting. If your going to have a repair coupling in your inventory, carry the proper wrench size in your inventory. Maybe a shovel and a pick.
We usually have the meters on before after and during the leak, not right up in the hole because the gas is so rich it'll burn up the meter but around the surrounding area. But I'll tell you this the hissing sound goes away completely when it has been properly capped. It's like the differences of sound when you put air in your tires and you pull the air hose away from the tire valve. Either way we are there to stop the leak. The gas company still needs to come and give it a more permanent fix.
Should have done a lot of things hahaha But it’s good to watch how other guys do it. Even if it’s just to reassure yourself that your team is doing it a shitload better/safer.
Mauricio Garcia, they can take photos. I've also been to way too many of these where the marker ribbon is pulled up and discarded in the pile of dirt, like it has been in this video. "Ain't they s'posed to put them lines deeper'n that?!" -Every at-fault contractor ever. :P
thats why you find it by hand first, plus there is yellow caution ribbon all over the spoil pile, someone just got lazy is all. crap happens, you owe your family more than that sir. there's a protocol to digging around utilities just as there are fighting fires. surprised by your cavalier attitude about ng pipeline. I work around it every day so yes I'm qualified to speak
OpEng Chris do what? I wasn't bashing anybody I was just saying he contractor will be paying for that damage I do this work everyday he didn't hand dig and expose the line
OpEng Chris I'm a utility locator I know the protocols about digging a utility such as a gas line 2 and 1/2 feet on either side of the marks if the mark is off more than 2 and 1/2 feet and you hit it you're fine but if you hit it inside that 2 1/2 feet you're paying the damage I work for usic the locating company so I don't know what you mean about my caviler attitude about knowing gas lines
NOT HATING ON THESE GUYS BUT IF OUR DEPT HAD TO GET IN THE HOLE AND STOP THE LEAK I WOULD NOT BE HITTING ROCKS WITH A HAMMER....IM GLAD OUR GAS CO DOES THIS/
WOW WAY TO GO "A" NOT USING NON-SPARKING TOOLS IN THE HOLE AND NO PURPLE K ON STAND BY.. JUST IN CASE IT IGNITES..PLUS WORKING IN THE HOLE WITH NO CHARGED HOSE LINE???? REALLY????
