Lightning likely caused rare double gas meter fires

In an occurrence that New Albany Light, Gas and Water Manager Bill Mattox said he has only heard of a few times, lightning apparently caused two natural gas meters to catch on fire early Friday last week.

Fire crews were called to an apparent gas meter on fire at 1022 Union Hill Road Friday morning and while responding saw a house on fire at 1006 Union Hill Road.

In both cases the gas meters were on fire and once they blazes were extinguished, utility crews had to actually dig up the lines and cut them off for safety.

Mattox said lightning apparently struck a cable TV or other utility line running into the end of the house at 1006 and ran down the side to where the gas line entered. The apparent explosion and fire caused significantly more damage to the house at 1006 and 1022.

The answer to why a meter some distance away also caught fire lies in how some utilities are installed. The gas line from the first house to the second is plastic. Plastic lines cannot be located for service with a metal detector.

To overcome this, a metal locator line is buried along with the gas line and it can be detected with a device.

Apparently the locator line is insulated so the lightning traveled along it to the first ground connection it found, which was the meter at the second house, causing that ignition.

“It’s rare. I’ve only heard of it a couple of times,” Mattox said, adding there is nothing inherent in the gas lines or meters themselves that are likely to ever cause a fire on their own.

“Quick action from the home owner at 1022 Union Hill and a Union County Sheriff Deputy on patrol kept the fire from the meter reaching their structure until fire crews could get there and eliminate the problem,” Fire Chief Mark Whiteside said.

Also, if it had not been for the 911 call from 1022, more than likely the damage to 1006 would have been more extensive since there was not anybody at home there at the time of the fire.

“New Albany fire units would like to thank the Center Fire Department personnel for their mutual aid to the scene for assistance, 911 dispatching, New Albany PD, Union SO, and the New Albany Light, Gas, and Water crews,” Whiteside said.  “Working together as a city and county fire service and public services is important, and situations like this show why. Anytime we need each other’s assistance, we are going to find a way to help each other for the safety of our citizens in the city and county we serve.”