Royal Oak, MI- Royal Oak Utility gas crews failed to follow company procedures before a Feb. 27 deadly gas main explosion in Royal Oak, according to an interim report sent to the Michigan Public Service Commission by Consumers Energy.
According to a copy of the report obtained by The Detroit News, several crew members working on a new gas main on Cooper Avenue smelled natural gas about 4:30 p.m. during a boring operation and reported the matter for inspection. All left about a half hour later before a Consumers gas service worker responded to the area to work on a possible gas leak.
One crew worker reportedly knocked on the door of 4232 Cooper the home of Daniel Malczynski, 58 after smelling gas but no one answered, according to the report.
Four minutes after workers had all cleared the area and the repair worker was still en route, there was an explosion that ultimately caused Malczynski’s death and damaged houses along the street.
A Consumers Energy manager arrived on the scene at 5:15 p.m., after feeling the Royal Oak Service Center building on Coolidge Highway shake from the blast blocks away. The dispatched worker arrived 14 minutes later, according to the report, and the gas supply was shut off at the address.
Thirty-five homes were damaged in the blast; many owners were compelled to live in hotels or with family members until their homes could be assessed for damage and repaired.
Gas was fully restored to the area by March 2.
The Consumers interim report says the crews did not excavate and expose all active gas mains in the area, which damaged the steel gas main. The crews also did not follow proper procedures to ensure the safety of nearby public areas and buildings.
According to the report, an unspecified number of “union and supervisory employees” involved with the boring operations were fired.
The utility company has also reviewed other work sites to make sure boring operations are being followed properly and have issued additional guidelines to all employees regarding the proper procedures to be followed.
In a release issued Monday, the utility company said the interim report was just a summary for the Michigan Public Service Commission and that it will “continue to cooperate in the ongoing investigation conducted by the MPSC and other involved parties.”