23ABC received new information today regarding Big N Deep and PG&E’s role in the accident on Wible Road and Houghton Road on October 24, 2014.
Agricultural development company Big N Deep struck a transmission line that caused a release of natural gas. Two elementary schools were evacuated because of the incident and approximately $520,000 worth of damages to gas facilities was estimated to have occurred.
Today, 23ABC received the report from the investigation conducted through the California Public Utilities Commission. The investigation concluded that PG&E had failed to properly locate the transmission line, line markers that were on the ground were nearly 60 feet off of where the actual lines were located and a PG&E official was not present when the excavation was being conducted near “critical facilities”. The investigation also notes that Big N Deep continued excavation activities despite these factors.
Big N Deep and PG&E were also involved in another excavation accident on Wible and Houghton in November 2015 where a Big N Deep employee struck a gas line and caused an explosion that killed the employee and burned two women.
The investigation for the November 2015 incident has not been released and 23ABC will keep you updated on the story as soon as it becomes available.
