BEFORE you dig...

[YellowDog]

This happened in America. It’s a good reason why you should phone the local authorities to check for services pipes and cables BEFORE you dig……

The following pictures are a result of a worker on a farm using a post hole digger - he hit an underground, high-pressure gas main. He took out 2 homes, associated sheds and vehicles.

They never found the man.

[slofox]

I bet he's Mr Popularity just now...

[p.dath]

Is he dead?

[Jantar]

Is he dead?

No, because it didn't happen that way at all. http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/gasmain.asp

[scumdog]

No, because it didn't happen that way at all. http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/gasmain.asp

Why did that not surprise me?

One look at the pics and "Hmmm, I smell a rat here"....

[Paul in NZ]

Why did that not surprise me?

One look at the pics and "Hmmm, I smell a rat here"....

It would be a BBQ'd one....

[ynot slow]

Nearly happened a few years ago at Oanui shell production station on surf highway45 near New Plymouth.A guy took the grinder guard off his grinder,and was chopping pipes for scrap,unbeknown to him he was grinding into a pipe under pressure.His foreman came passed,saw no guard and stopped him,then saw the dick was grinding into a pipe which had gas,turned out it pipe was cut to dangerous tolerances.The guy was told to go home and don't come back,they had to replace the pipe,but the initial bang would've blown the guys into sea until auto shutoff kicked in.

[YellowDog]

I think I prefered the hoax story that may potentially stop someone digging through a cable or a pipe.

[JATZ]

Coulda been worse.........coulda been a rising sewer main

[Laxi]

heres an interesting comment from the point of view if ACC is privatised

"I liked the persons response about the gas company should have just settled. The problem with the county today, Lawyers has to get evolved to the extent, the settlement to the company has to included all the money for the lawyers on both side and they play it out for years with heavy cost involved. These cost is breaking the backs of the American people because all the added cost is added to the cost of any company doing business through insurance cost and the cost of products sold. No one seems to see this as a problem and the lawyers just keeps on getting filthy rick at our (all people) expense. I know how to fix it but no one would agree. Just do away with insurance and/or lawyers."

Just do away with insurance and/or lawyers.

[vifferman]

Years ago, a guy I worked with was over at the Isle of Mann and while he was there, someone did hit the gas main while digging! Although it was spewing mega amounts of gas out, costing thousands of poooondz an hour, they didn't shut it off, because if they had, the pilots lights for the gas appliances of all the houses on the island would've gone out, and the potential resulting gas build up after the gas was turned on again would've been disastrous.

[The Stranger:Me]

Years ago, a guy I worked with was over at the Isle of Mann and while he was there, someone did hit the gas main while digging! Although it was spewing mega amounts of gas out, costing thousands of poooondz an hour, they didn't shut it off, because if they had, the pilots lights for the gas appliances of all the houses on the island would've gone out, and the potential resulting gas build up after the gas was turned on again would've been disastrous.

Took out a 4" gas main down by the art school at Auckland uni. The gas company are numptys.
We put a 23 ton crane through the art school and wanted it back. The main hadn't been ruptured at that stage. But because of risk to the main we got the gas company to isolate it. Yep good to go they say. The fire cheif said to me, watch this, they haven't a clue how to isolate it. Sure enough we split the line and they hadn't isolated it.
They shut down the supply to Auckland then I tell you.

[Pedrostt500]

There have been a few intances of simmilar situations happening here, one where a digger put a bucket tooth trough the gas line running to Wellington, luckely he realised what happened and shut his machine down, and I remember another where a farmer damaged one of the high pressure lines heading north, didnt go through, so covered the line up, when the damage was discovered, I think it cost him his farm in the repair bill.

[smoky]

.... they didn't shut it off, because if they had, the pilots lights for the gas appliances of all the houses on the island would've gone out, and the potential resulting gas build up after the gas was turned on again would've been disastrous.

thats weird, so weird I doubt if that would ever be the case.
The drop in gas pressure would cause the pressure switches at the mains or appliance to shut off the supply to each house, also when a pilot light goes out it shuts off the incoming gas to the appliance - for safety reasons???

[FROSTY:Me]

noones mentioned the numpry that took out the power in most of auckland on friday