December 2025
Rosemont, Illinois
A contracted crew is conducting directional drilling to install fiber-optic cable near a sewer manhole cover.
Early winter
The ground is frozen
With frozen soil, project deadlines and schedule pressure, the contractor proceeds without exposing ("daylighting") the underground utilities. That does not meet safe excavation standards or state damage prevention laws.
The bore site
Drilling near a sewer manhole
A gas distribution main runs under the street. Based on its records, the operator believes the pipe is a plastic distribution main line.
The drill hits a hard underground obstruction
Over several minutes the drill advances a few inches. Suddenly there is a loud whistling sound, followed by a strong odor of natural gas. The yellow starburst on the map marks the strike location.
Within 5 min of the 911 call
Fire department arrives first and evacuates nearby buildings
The crew foreman calls 911. The fire department establishes a safety zone and evacuates nearby buildings, including some residents. One contractor employee is taken to a regional hospital with chest pain.
Rosemont Gas & Electric is notified
The operator learns of the uncontrolled gas release.
Since the drill strikeabout 10 min
A house outside the evacuation zone explodes
The fire department, already on scene, contains the fire.
Since the drill strikeabout 37 min
The first Rosemont Gas & Electric employee arrives
Their supervisor responds with support to monitor for migrating gas. Pendleton Elementary is located two blocks away and is in session.
Since the drill strikeabout 47 min
Round 1 begins
It is now 2:10 PM
No further buildings have exploded or ignited, and the exploded building was empty. The only injury is the contractor employee taken to the hospital. The operator does not have resources on scene to shut down the pipeline.
Since the drill strikeabout 48 min
Round 1 consequences
Reporting to the National Response Center
49 C.F.R. § 191.5 requires notice within one hour of confirmed discovery. If discovery was confirmed at 1:32, the call was due by 2:32. At the latest, the 1:59 explosion made it reportable, so the call is due by 2:59.
Round 1 consequences
If your operator pulled system maps or sent an investigation team
Records from the pipe’s original construction show it is steel, not plastic. Steel will require a more extensive repair and take longer than plastic.
Round 2
Two ways to share information
Option 1: a detailed press release by 6:32, five hours after the incident. Option 2: a concise statement by 3:32, two hours after the incident.