Digging Dangers 32 Overview (2021 Accidents):

No Man’s Land, includes major water, gas and electrical accidents that impacted the underground utility industry in 2021. No Man’s Land represents that place that no one wants to be, and in the underground utility world, those places are usually in the middle of digging accidents.

Incidents in Volume 32:

July 26th, Tyrone PA: A utility contractor was performing a water installation project when their drill accidentally struck a gas service to a home in the area that had been previously demolished.
May 14th, Pikesville MD: While working on a gas main repair, the gas company caused an accident that resulted in an explosion. Several serious injuries resulted and over 250 gas customers lost service.
Sept. 21, Beacon Hill MA: A contractor’s crew was working on a water main when a gate valve on a 30-inch main gave way, letting thousands of gallons of water spill into the streets.
Nov. 18, Comox, British Columbia: A gas line was ruptured when hit by an excavator doing renovation work on a building at a military complex.
March 5, Klein TX: A telecom contractor installing fiber hit a 2-inch gas line. While making repairs, the gas company hit an adjacent 6-inch high pressure main.
October 27, Clearwater FL: While revamping a downtown area, contractors struck a water main that caused a loss of water pressure for local businesses.
October 28, Rathdrum ID: Contractors installing fiber in a residential subdivision strike a gas line in the front yard of a home. Authorities initially gave the all-clear, but two hours later, an explosion resulted.
Feb. 3, Springfield VA: A gas company crew doing routine maintenance accidentally struck a gas main with a backhoe, and an explosion resulted, igniting homes and vehicles, and causing major injuries.
Jan. 4, Jordan UT: An electrical contractor doing work for a nearby construction site was killed when the box he was working on exploded.

We hope you find these videos to be impactful in your safety and damage prevention efforts.