Post driver hits gas line - GIF

[Altair]

Post driver hits gas line.




Previously:

Utility cables hit by auger - photo
House destroyed by gas line explosion - video
Underground power line erupts in Amsterdam - GIF
Tunnel boring machine hits sewage line - GIFs

[bruce.desertrat]

This is why you call the blue stake guys.

[Tooler2]

How many psi in a gas pipeline? That seems pretty shallow?

[tlnixon]

Gomer Pyle would say "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise Sgt. Carter!!"

[tlnixon]

PSI depends upon the diameter of the pipe and whether it is a residential feeder, commercial line, or in this case probably a high-pressure distribution line under a lot of pressure. Had an 7 mile running event here when I was a cop years ago. Various companies had rented tents from numerous rental companies. Afterwards one company went to take their tent down and a loud whistle was heard. He flagged me down and asked what to do. I told him to gently put the stake back in the hole and let's get the heck out of here. Yes they had driven a steel stake right through a 4 inch distribution line putting the tent up, and it didn't leak until they pulled the stake out. I can't imagine what that cost them on a Saturday afternoon when the gas company showed up with a backhoe to dig it up and replace it....

[mdhatter3]

When we moved into our house in 1964, a few days later a bulldozer drove over the gas valve on our unplanted front lawn. When the gas company came out to fix it the dozer operator got holy hell from the gas company supervisor. He was still operating the dozer. We were lucky there was no explosion or fire.

[EnginePaul]

Cal 811, it will cost you nothing and may save you life or bank account.

[Hoosiersmoker]

Paying close attention to how the post reacts when driven is key. I was helping hand drive some fence pipe for a truck dock screen along an alley. The owner told us where to put the fence and we got the old "T" handle driver out and got to it. I was holding the pipe in place and the other guy was driving the pipe. After about 10 or 12 good hits we were almost to depth. When the other guy dropped the next hit I felt the post bounce and before I could tell him not to strike again he came down and went through a plastic gas feed to the building where we were working. If you watch this video you can see the strike before he went through the main - it bounces. He probably thought it was a rock but the bounce would have made me very concerned given my first experience with gas lines.