Philadelphia Gas Works to Launch Innovative Safety Measures Following Deadly 2019 Explosion

Philadelphia, PA — In a substantial move towards heightened safety standards, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has reached a settlement with Philadelphia Gas Works following a fatal explosion in 2019. This settlement, hailed as a landmark decision, mandates pioneering safety protocols including the introduction of a methane detector pilot program for residents.

The decision arises from tragic events that unfolded on December 19, 2019, when a natural gas explosion devastated a neighborhood in South Philadelphia. The blast leveled three rowhouses, significantly damaged two others, and ignited a formidable three-alarm fire, resulting in $1.4 million in property damage. Sadly, the explosion also claimed the lives of Brian Diu, 28, and Rudi Kambong, 65.

As a critical component of the agreement endorsed unanimously by the PUC, PGW will allocate $800,000 to provide free methane detectors to households. This initiative aims to establish an early-warning system to alert residents of potential gas leaks, enhancing community safety.

Furthermore, PGW commits to seeking up to $125 million in federal funding to modernize its aging natural gas distribution infrastructure. These funds will accelerate the replacement of outdated small-diameter cast-iron pipes, some of which date back nearly a century, as demonstrated by the pipe implicated in the 2019 explosion.

The 2019 catastrophe was ultimately traced back to a cracked six-inch cast-iron main installed in 1928. Investigations following the incident indicated multiple recent excavations around the damaged main, exacerbating its condition. In response to the disaster, PGW completed the installation of new plastic mains and service lines in the affected area by April 2020, moving away from the old cast-iron system.

Enhancing this infrastructure strategy, the settlement includes measures to improve PGW’s methods of identifying and addressing subterranean infrastructural issues. PGW will also boost its coordination with the Philadelphia Water Department, other municipal agencies, and entities involved in underground facilities and excavation operations.

PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank emphasized the commitment to public safety and the broader implications of the initiative. “While we can never undo the tragic events of 2019, we can honor the victims by turning this incident into an opportunity for meaningful change,” DeFrank stated. He highlighted the dual focus of the methane detector program and the swift modernization of infrastructure as foundational to the commission’s public safety priority.

This proactive stance by the PUC and PGW reflects a growing recognition of the essential nature of upgrading urban infrastructure to prevent future disasters. Indeed, the pace of replacing old cast iron in the PGW system is set to remove all such materials within approximately 38 years, significantly improving the safety and reliability of gas distribution across Philadelphia.

Further underlining the ongoing safety challenges, a more recent explosion in November 2021 in South Philadelphia brought additional scrutiny to PGW’s operations. That incident, which injured three people and caused over $100,000 in damages, resulted in the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement proposing a $300,000 civil penalty against PGW, emphasizing the ongoing need for stringent safety measures and vigilant oversight in utility operations.