PAST IOWA NEWS OF INTEREST Courts order excavators in Boone, Hancock, Warren and Grundy Counties to pay penalties for violating the One Call law. September 25, 2009   Des Moines, IA Excavators in four counties have been ordered to pay civil penalties for failing to notify the “One Call” hotline before conducting an excavation. District Court judges in Boone, Hancock, Warren and Grundy Counties ordered penalties ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, and prohibited further violations. The court orders, which were entered this week and last week, resolved lawsuits filed by the Attorney General’s Office. “In each case, the excavators hit or came close to hitting natural gas or other hazardous liquid pipelines,” Miller said. “Fortunately, there were no explosions or deaths this time, but the cases show why the One Call law is so important,” he said. Gas Leak Reported Near Hawkeye Football Practice Facility August 31, 2009   Iowa City, IA Emergency crews stand by after a low pressure gas line was ruptured near the Iowa football team’s practice bubble in Iowa City by an excavator. The bubble and the Jacobsen Building were evacuated as a precaution. Cable Services Down In Northern Iowa August 5, 2009   Mason City, IA Mediacom cable service was restored at 7 p.m. Wednesday for TV and Internet customers in Mason City and by 7:45 p.m. in all other affected areas, a Mediacom spokesman said Wednesday night. Thousands of customers in north Iowa and southern Minnesota are without cable service this evening after a Mediacom cable fiber was cut at about 4:30 p.m., a Mediacom spokesman reported. The cable was severed during bridge construction work on U.S. Highway 65 south of Manly. Part of Waukon Evacuated Due To Gas Line Rupture June 8, 2009   Waukon, IA Some residents were temporarily evacuated from their homes after a construction company punctured a gas line. The firm was tearing down the junior high school building in the Allamakee Community School District when it hit the line around 10:15 a.m., according to the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office. A two-block radius around the school was evacuated, though the sheriff’s office put out a Code Red alert for the whole community. Homes Evacuated After Utility Worker Strikes Gas Line April 17, 2009   Clinton, IA About eight homes near the intersection of 11th Avenue South and 7th Street were evacuated after a utility worker struck a gas line, causing a leak. Clinton firefighters and workers from Alliant Energy were called to the scene at 8:10 a.m., according to the Clinton Fire Department. Alliant Energy fixed the gas leak, and the residents were allowed to return to their homes. Repairs To Broken Water Main Could End Tonight March 12, 2009   Muscatine, IA Traffic was closed in the area after Muscatine Power and Water workers damaged a water main. Hydrant workers struck an abandoned 2-inch water line attached to the 14-inch main. At one point, the main leaked a significant volume that covered the roadway. No homes were without water, but some residents were notified of a temporary outage during repairs. Gas Leak Snarls Traffic, Ends Classes February 05, 2009   Dubuque, IA A gas leak on Dubuque's West End shut off power, caused a snag in traffic and sent high school students home early. Around 9:30 a.m., a construction company excavating near the school struck the gas line. The leak occurred directly underneath a utility pole with an electric power transformer that fed into the high school. Fire officials said when gas shoots up into the air, a spark from the power line could ignite it. Authorities immediately shut off the gas line and the electricity to the area, which included the school. While students were never in any danger from the leak, school officials dismissed classes early because they anticipated the school would be without power for most of the afternoon. Instead, authorities were able to get everything back up and running sooner than anticipated. The electricity was restored to most of Dubuque's West End by noon. Black Hills Energy employees knocked on doors in the neighborhood to re-light pilot lights in homes and businesses that lost service. AG Miller Imposes One Call Penalty December 29, 2008   Des Moines, IA Polk County District Court Judge Robert Blink has ordered Rogers Automated Entrances, Inc., of Altoona to pay a $5,000 civil penalty for failing to call the “One Call” hotline prior to conducting an excavation. 'The One Call law requires at least 48-hour advance notice before excavations, so underground lines can be marked,' Attorney General Tom Miller said. The court order issued recently resolves a lawsuit filed by Miller’s office that alleged Rogers Automated Entrances conducted an excavation June 5, 2008, in Pleasant Hill without the required notification – an excavation that turned out to be in the vicinity of five different hazardous liquids pipelines as well as three underground fiber optics cables. 'Four of the pipelines carried explosive and highly flammable propane or refined petroleum,' Miller said. “Fortunately, none of the lines was hit, but this case shows why the One Call law is so important.' Crews Cut Major Cable TV Line November 13, 2008   Des Moines, IA A large number of Mediacom cable TV customers lost their television and Internet service for more than four hours. A construction crew in downtown Des Moines accidentally severed two underground fiber optic lines. The lines feed a wide swatch of the Southside of Des Moines, as well as towns to the south of the metro. Repair crews had to splice the fiber lines together to fix the damage. One fiber cable had 126 individual strands that needed to be spliced together. The other cable had 96 individual strands. Sioux City Gas Main Break Repaired October 22, 2008   Sioux City, IA Police closed a street for about an hour following a natural gas leak. A contractor hit a 2-inch gas main while doing underground work at 1:18 p.m. A MidAmerican Energy crew repaired the gas main that broke. Fire officials sent one fire rig to the scene as a precautionary measure, but no one was evacuated from nearby businesses. Gas Leak in Waterloo Intersection August 07, 2008   Waterloo, IA Police and fire officials were called to the scene of a gas leak reported at about 4:30 p.m. MidAmerican Energy officials were on the scene to shut off the flow to the leak at about 6:15 p.m. The intersection is under construction. A contractor moving dirt struck a 4-inch gas main that was exposed by the project, said a MidAmerican Energy spokeswoman. Although the hiss of escaping gas could be heard a block away from the rupture, no one was evacuated from the area. Light wind let the gas dissipate minimizing the threat, fire officials said. No customers lost service because of the leak. Gas Line Struck In Cedar Rapids June 8, 2008   Cedar Rapids, IA Area streets were closed to traffic and pedestrians after a natural gas line was ruptured near 3rd Avenue & 14th St SE. An excavator that was digging at the intersection struck the line. Residents Evacuated In Sioux City June 26, 2008   Sioux City, IA Twelve people were evacuated from their homes after a private contractor struck a gas line. The workers were boring underneath the street when they struck an eight-inch line. Traffic was also diverted from two nearby streets. Repair crews also inspected the water and sewer systems to make sure that gas did not leak in. Gas Line Break Forces Evacuations in Marion June 26, 2008   Marion, IA Residents from two condominiums were evacuated and a street closed following a gas line break. A construction company was digging for fiber optic lines and conduit for the city when it dug too deep. It took around three hours to fix the gas line. Severed Fiber Optics Unhooks 712, 515 Areas June 7, 2008   Winterset, IA A severed fiber-optic cable interfered with long distance phone calls across two-thirds of Iowa, including the Fort Dodge area, for several hours Friday afternoon. The cable was cut near Winterset, according to Patricia Amendola, a spokeswoman for Frontier Communications. She said the mishap affected long distance calling throughout the 515 and 712 area codes. Amendola said 911 emergency service remained functional during the outage. According to both Woodman Wireless and US Cellular in Fort Dodge, cell phone users could call other cell phones, but could not call land lines provided by Frontier. Cell phone users could call land lines provided by other companies, such as Mediacom Communications Corp. Sewer line breaks; Wellsburg Discharging Wastewater May 12, 2008   Wellsburg, IA Untreated wastewater began running into a drainage ditch at 3 p.m., according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, when a contractor installing a new sewer main broke the existing main. The drainage ditch flows to an unnamed tributary of South Beaver Creek. The city pumped wastewater to relieve pressure in the sanitary sewer. The actions also allowed employees to make repairs to the existing line. Gas leak stops traffic in Fort Dodge May 7, 2008   Fort Dodge, IA A backhoe hit and broke a natural gas line at North 15th Street and 27th Avenue North. MidAmerican Energy Co. spokesman Mark Reinders said a 2-inch-diameter gas line was severed. Firefighters and police stood by at the scene until utility crews were able to turn off the flow of gas. No evacuations were necessary. The incident was reported at 12:03 p.m. Emergency personnel were on the scene for about 45 minutes. Utility workers spent much of the afternoon making repairs. Three nearby apartment buildings were without gas service. University of Dubuque Campus Evacuated After Gas Leak May 5, 2008   Dubuque, IA The occupants of two University of Dubuque buildings -- including students taking final exams -- had to be evacuated after a tree removal crew severed a natural gas line. No one was reported injured in the incident. A university official said the incident occurred when a tree company hired by the university began digging up a tree that had been misidentified for removal. City fire and police personnel were called to the scene some traffic had to be diverted until the leak was under control. Gas Main Break Causes Evacuation in Camanche May 5, 2008   Camanche, IA A construction crew struck a natural gas line in Camanche forcing the evacuation of eight homes and a nearby church. Emergency crews were called to 1431 S. Washington Blvd. about 3:20 p.m. after a crew installing a sewer line to a home hit a 2-inch gas main. Eight nearby homes and Immanuel Lutheran Church were evacuated as a precaution. No injuries were reported, and a crew from Alliant Energy repaired the leak within an hour and a half, Schutte said. One customer lost natural gas service. Mid-morning Gas Leak Forces Neighborhood Evacuation April 15, 2008   Davenport, IA A ruptured natural gas line forced the evacuation of two day cares and about 50 residents. A construction crew inadvertently punctured a four-inch gas pipe. Davenport firefighters were on the scene shortly after 10 a.m., equipped with handheld gas meters. They quickly cordoned off a two-block section of the neighborhood and began asking nearby residents to evacuate. Typically, firefighters would evacuate people within 350 yards of this type of leak, which involved a four-inch diameter pipe with a pressure of about 40 to 50 pounds per square inch. However, firefighters were concerned that strong winds mixed with concentrated gas could result in ignition danger downwind from the leak. MidAmerican Energy Co. officials were able to stop the leak a little before 11 a.m. A construction crew doing a curb replacement at the intersection ruptured the gas line. A company safety officer said the pipe was shallower than expected. The project manager had placed an Iowa One Call to mark the area for gas and water lines, but the corner was not marked, according to company officials. A spokesman for MidAmerican, said the company’s records and documentation from the contractors show that a call was made to Iowa One Call for the project in late March. MidAmerican is now investigating whether the request was made for the specific area where the gas line was damaged and, if it was, whether the markings were made. Gas Line Rupture Forces Musco, MCG Employees to Evacuate April 4, 2008   Oskaloosa, IA Work crews ruptured a 4-inch natural gas main line forcing the evacuation of 150 employees from nearby buildings. A construction crew was excavating on the west side of the building when the break occurred. Fire officials said where the crew was digging was not where the break occurred. They were digging in one area, and hit a footing from an old building. It shook it and it broke the line. Fire officials estimated the break in the gas line was 20 to 25 feet away at an angle from where the actual digging was taking place. He said the gas service line was approximately 5 feet deep. The break was detected around 11:30 a.m. and squeezed off by 12:30 p.m. No customers were impacted by the break. The contractor was doing private sewer work in the area when the 4-inch main ruptured. Employees were allowed back into the building around 12:30 p.m. Mother Nature Ruptures Gas Main March 14, 2008   Fort Dodge, IA A gas leak forced about a dozen people from their homes Friday morning after a chunk of river ice struck a 4-inch natural gas main in the Des Moines River shortly after 9 a.m. A geyser of river water marked the leak near Avenue B on the west bank of the river. The Fort Dodge Fire Department responded to the scene while police blocked traffic to the area for about an hour while MidAmerican crews shut off the flow of gas to the damaged pipe. Police allowed people back into the area around 10 a.m. Winds from the north moved a cloud of the gas toward the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility and surrounding homes. The leak was so severe that the wind did little to reduce the threat of an explosion in the area surrounding the leak. ''Down off Avenue B it was definitely an explosive atmosphere,'' Capt. Steve Hergenreter of the Fort Dodge Fire Department said. Gas Leak Stops Traffic January 4, 2008   Council Bluffs, IA Traffic was redirected from Main Street and Broadway, and some offices were evacuated when a gas line was broken during construction. According to fire officials, a private contractor struck a gas line under the concrete. The building closest to the rupture at 25 Main Place was evacuated. Council Bluffs police officers directed traffic around Broadway from Pearl Street through Fourth Street. Main Street was blocked from First Avenue to Kanesville Boulevard. The line was struck just before 2 p.m., and traffic was allowed through the intersection again after 3:30 p.m. Iowa One Call Implements Design Request System January 4, 2008   Des Moines, IA The Iowa Design Request System was officially launched at the end of August 2007. By the end of September, twenty five firms had suscribed and over 115 designers had been authorized to use the system. The Design Request System will take the place of the Joint Meet Survey that will no longer be available (Joint Meet Locates are not affected). For more info about the Design Request System, goto the Iowa One Call website (www.iowaonecall.com) and click on the Design Request System. 1,400 Customers in Dakota Dunes and Surrounding Areas Loose Power November 16, 2007   Sioux City, IA More than 1,400 customers were without power after a contractor digging in the Dakota Dunes area cut through the lines. A Mid-American Energy spokesman says the contractor cut through several lines around 2:35 causing a power outage in the riverside areas of Sioux City and Dakota Dunes. Repair crews quickly responded and had the power back on by about 4:00 p.m. 911, Long Distance Phone Cut In Adel, Stuart October 31, 2007   Adel, IA The towns of Adel and Stuart were without long distance and 911 service after a contractor severed a fiber optic line. Some local calls were still getting through. Residents with emergencies were directed to go to the sheriff’s office in Adel. Burlington Downtown Power Outage Was Short Friday October 19, 2007   Burlington, IA About 215 Alliant Energy customers went without power for about an hour when a contractor working in the alley behind Burlington City Hall accidentally cut into an underground primary electric line near Washington Street. An Alliant Energy spokesperson said the outage occurred shortly before noon and primarily affected commercial instead of residential customers. An Alliant Energy crew had the power up for all but 18 customers by 12:55 p.m. and had powered restored to all the customers just three minutes later at 12:58 p.m. Middle School Experiences Telephone Outage October 18, 2007   Mount Pleasant, IA Construction work led to a telephone outage at a middle school overnight. A construction crew was using a trenching machine to lay conduit along the north side of the building when the blades cut through a telephone line. Phone service remained out until mid-morning the next day. Middle school administrators asked the public via broadcasts on a local radio station to route all calls to the school district's central office. A courier then carried the messages over to the middle school. Gas Leak Closes MLK Parkway North of Hickman June 12, 2007   Des Moines, IA One of the major arteries in Des Moines was closed at afternoon rush hour due to a gas leak according to police reports. Road construction workers hit a cap of a gas main about noon. The Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Parkway was being prepared for resurfacing when the gas line was ruptured, police said. Workers were not immediately able to shut it down but were trying to patch around it. One business just north — upwind — from the gas leak voluntarily closed, police said. Gas Leak Disrupts Traffic on Grand July 11, 2007   Des Moines, IA A natural-gas line break stalled construction for about five hours while workers scrambled to diffuse a potentially explosive situation. Workers for a contractor struck the line while installing a sewer manhole, said a spokesman for MidAmerican Energy. The gas leak shut down Grand Avenue between 16th and Elm streets for more than two hours while the leak was contained. An investigation into the incident will be conducted. According to MidAmerican spokesperson, the contractor asked them to locate the gas line before work began and digging is not allowed within 18 inches of the marked lines. West Des Moines firefighters responded to the leak, said spokesman for the department. Firefighters closed off the section the street and directed traffic around the area. Two Gas Leaks in Johnston July 7, 2007   Johnston, IA Two gas main leaks have been reported in Johnston in less than 24 hours. The one case involved a two inch-diameter gas main that was most likely damaged by construction work, said a public works official. The Fire Chief said leaks are not always reported to the fire department if there is no need for evacuation or potential for fire hazards, and the department had not been called out for this leak. The fire department was on stand-by for a couple of hours on the night after the first break was reported. In that case, vandals used a backhoe to dig a hole at the construction site and hit the main. Fine Given For A One Call Violation May 16, 2007   Clinton, IA In November 2005, a heavy equipment company was performing an excavation near Bellevue. A bulldozer hit a three-inch diameter natural gas pipeline, causing an explosion and fire. The bulldozer operator and president of the company suffered severe burns. The explosion caused extensive property damage and interrupted gas service to about 1,300 customers in Bellevue. The Iowa Department of Justice announced that Jackson County District Court has issued a $5,000 civil penalty against the company for violation of the One Call law, ruling that the company failed to contact Iowa’s “One Call” notification center before performing the excavation. It is the first time the One Call law has been enforced in Jackson County, officials said. The Iowa Attorney General said that this incident underscores the significance of the One Call program. New 811 Number Makes Digging Safely Even Easier May 1, 2007   Des Moines, IA As Iowans turn their attention outdoors for gardening and home improvement projects, Iowa One Call and its new mascot, Gabby the Groundhog, are busy promoting digging safety. Calling before you dig is easier than ever this spring with the launch of a new nationwide 811 number. Now, Iowans planning to dig can either dial 811 or (800) 292-8989 to request utility location services. Iowa law requires that anyone digging call at least 48 hours in advance to have underground utilities marked, then avoid digging within 18 inches of flags and paint markings. This spring’s launch of the new federally mandated 811 three-digit dialing system allows callers anywhere in the country to reach the respective One Call center within their state. One phone call to this easily-remembered 811 number quickly begins the process of getting underground utility lines marked – regardless of where you live. In conjunction with the new 811 number, Iowa One Call will continue to maintain its current toll-free number (800-292-8989). Backhoe Hits Gas Line February 21, 2007   Des Moines, IA A crew working to remove a water line hit a gas line causing a leak within the neighborhood. The area was blocked off temporarily as gas company officials made repairs. A worker hit the gas line while using a backhoe to dig up a water line to a home that was destroyed by a fire in January. Firefighters said much of the leaking gas went up in the air and did not reach any harmful levels. Missouri Company to Pay Up in Sewer Deaths February 16, 2007   Des Moines, IA The Iowa Supreme Court says a Missouri company violated safety rules during a sewer repair accident in Des Moines that killed two workers in 2002. The court's ruling throws out lower court rulings, and upholds more than 733-thousand-dollars in penalties assessed to Insituform Technologies Incorporated, of Chesterfield, Missouri. The company was hired by the city of Des Moines to install lining in underground sewage pipes. During the July 2002 project, two workers were overcome by hydrogen sulfide gas and collapsed face down in sewage. Five co-workers were overcome by the fumes in a failed rescue attempt. Judge Orders Penalties for 'One Call' Violations in Plymouth County January 8, 2007   Des Moines, IA Attorney General Tom Miller said today that Judge Jeffrey A. Neary has ordered Dean Quirk and Spring Lake Construction of Odebolt to pay a $5,000 civil penalty for failing to comply with Iowa's “One Call” statute. The law requires at least 48-hour advance notification by excavators before they dig, so underground pipelines and other utilities can be marked and avoided. “In this case, we alleged that the excavator hit and damaged a 6-inch hazardous liquids pipeline carrying gasoline,” Miller said. “Fortunately, there was no explosion and no disaster -- but it shows why the One Call law is so important.” Miller’s office alleged in a lawsuit that Quirk was using a backhoe to excavate for the foundation of a new hog confinement building at a site located between Akron and Le Mars in Plymouth County. The suit alleged that Quirk hit and damaged the pipeline, then back-filled over the damage and failed to take reasonable actions to alleviate the emergency. Quirk denied that he hit or damaged the pipeline but admitted that he failed to call One Call. Judge Neary today also ordered $1,000 civil penalties for two other excavators for digging without the required One Call notification at the same time and same site in the vicinity of the hazardous liquids pipeline. Each of the three separate matters was resolved today with simultaneous filings of the State’s lawsuit and a Consent Order, Judgment and Decree issued by Judge Neary. The Attorney General’s Office has filed One Call enforcement actions in 19 counties in recent years. These are the first actions filed in Plymouth County in Northwest Iowa. Contractor Hits Gas Line December 01, 2006   Fairfield, IA A gas distribution line in the downtown area was damaged by a contractor installing fiber optic cable for the phone company. The line was repaired without incident after about four hours. About forty customers, mostly businesses lost gas service. Gas company crews worked into the night re-lighting pilot lights. In a statement to news media, a phone company vice president said, When you dig and bury cable underground, especially in a downtown area where there are a lot of utilities already present, there's always the risk of something like this happening.” Reports did not mention if a locate had been requested before the digging. Gas Line Break Creates Brief Evacuation February 15, 2006   Burlington, IA A 2-inch gas line struck by a backhoe operator resulted in the evacuation of the construction site and immediate area by police. The accident occurred as a contractor was digging at a major construction site, and the teeth of the bucket caught the edge of the gas line. A spokesperson for the energy company said the company was investigating whether the contractor failed to locate the gas line prior to digging. A $3.5 million, 24,000 square-foot grocery store is being constructed at the site. Gas Leak Forces Evacuation of Muscatine Neighborhood October 17, 2005   Muscatine, IA Some 40 residents were evacuated from their homes after a crew installing a sewer line ruptured a 2-inch natural gas lne. Reports said that the gas line, under 25 pounds per square inch of pressure, made a loud whistling sound after it was cut and spread a rotten-egg odor throughout the neighborhood. While a gas crew dug a hole to expose the broken gas line to repair it, firefighters and police officers went door-to-door to houses in the area evacuating people. Firefighters stood by with hoses from a nearby pumper while a 5-man energy crew shut down three intersecting gas lines with a steel squeezer. A few homes were without natural gas that evening while the lines were permanently repaired. Mount Pleasant Alliant Gas Leak September 23, 2005   Mount Pleasant, IA A plumbing contractor cut through a 2-inch plastic gas main while installing a sewer line. A gas crew was able to shut off the flow within 15 minutes and repairs were completed later in the day. Gas-Line Break Closes Intersection September 01, 2005   Des Moines, IA A crew installing telephone cable ruptured a 6-inch plastic gas line at a busy intersection, shutting it down for several hours. The crew was using an HDD rig and apparently snagged the cable while backreaming. A locate had been requested and the line marked. The crew was apparently working fairly close to the marks and investigators were checking to see if the marks were accurate. The intersection remained closed through rush hour, and motorists had to be re-routed to nearby streets. Gas Leak Evacuates West Glen Shops August 15, 2005   Des Moines, IA An early morning gas leak caused stores in a shopping center to be evacuated. Officials stated that a construction crew digging a basement for a bridal store hit a 4-inch gas main. The energy company shut off the gas main and did an air quality check before employees were allowed to return to the shopping center. Fire Crews Respond to Morning Gas Leak July 19, 2005   Council Bluffs, IA A city contractor working on a road project damaged a plastic natural gas line. Traffic was rerouted as a gas company repair crew pinched off the line on both sides of the break. One fire truck and a hazardous materials unit were also dispatched to the scene. Nearby buildings were checked for gas concentrations. Natural Gas Leak Causes Evacuation of 6 Homes July 11, 2005   Davenport, IA Firefighters evacuated about a dozen residents and blocked a few streets after a crew digging holes for sign posts, ruptured a natural gas pipe at a mobile home park. According to a report, the company was hired to replace and relocate sign posts that were in poor condition.The fence company doing the work stated the gas line wasn't marked and they had no way of knowing the line was there. Another report stated it was not known why the line wasn't marked. Crews Repair Leak in Gas Main June 09, 2005   Des Moines, IA A contractor cutting pavement clipped a gas line causing a gas leak. The area was closed off and cars had to be moved to gain access to manholes to clear out the sewer system. The accident was under investigation. Repairs were to be completed and the road re-opened the following day. Residue Fouls Water After Backhoe Breaks City Main March 16, 2005   Dunlap, IA An entire city was left for several hours without water after a homeowner using a backhoe accidentally pulled a service line off of the city main. To repair the ruptured main, the city had to shut down the entire system without notice. Repairs were made as volunteers helped to open fire hydrants to relieve the air pressure which was estimated at about 80 psi. After repairs, residents had to deal with residue in their toilets, sinks, baths and other appliances that used city water. One spokesman stated the residue was caused by having to flush the mains, which stirred up water and resident that was in the pipes. The cost of the repairs was going to be billed to the resident whose backhoe ruptured the main. Fiber Cable Cut Affects 49,000 Iowa Telecom Customers March 16, 2005   Letts, IA Phone service to over 50,000 customers was affected for five hours after a fiber optic cable was cut. Officials stated some customers may not have noticed as they could still make local telephone calls. The outage affected lines in the eastern part of the state. In one area, 911 emergency service was affected and had to be re-routed. Investigations were under way to find out who cut the cable.