Report: Lax training in deadly gas leak

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The individuals who checked out  the gas leak that sparked the explosion that left an man Austin dead in January "lacked training, experience and/or knowledge" to understand the extent of the danger, the Texas Railroad Commission said Friday.

The state agency also said Texas Gas Service "procedures for analyzing and failures" also were lacking.

The commission, which oversees the Texas energy industry and oil and gas pipelines, released its report into the leak at 1712 Payne Ave. that killed Renald Ferrovecchio, 43. At least one other person was injured and the house next door was heavily damaged.

The report was forwarded to the agency's legal office for "enforcement action" that could result in fines of up to $10,000 per day for violating pipeline safety regulations.

A natural gas odor at the house was first reported to Texas Gas Service on Nov. 25, the company said a few days after the Jan. 9 explosion.

The company visited the house that day and scheduled a repair. The repair effort had begun and was under way when the explosion that left one dead occurred.

• 911 calls about the explosion.
• Part 1 of the Payne Avenue Report
• Part 2 of the Payne Avenue Report
• Part 3 of the Payne Avenue Report
• Part 4 of the Payne Avenue Report
• Part 5 of the Payne Avenue Report

Witnesses said that the impact from the explosion could be felt as far away as a quarter-mile. The windows of the house next door were all blown out.

Texas Gas Service crews were able to dig a hole down the street from the home to shut off the gas.

Gas crews said they believe the leak was contained to only the house that exploded and that other homes were not in danger of exploding.

Several residents said there had been a smell of gas out there for weeks, but fire officials said they never received a call about a gas leak.

"It was obvious there was a significant gas smell," said nearby resident Shirley Niedzwiecki, who said complaints had been made by many people in the neighborhood, including the man who lived at the destroyed home.

"That is part of the reason there was a big hole in front of his house," said Niedzwiecki. "Because they were trying to find the leak."

Neighbors also received flyers from a contractor stating that holes may be dug on their properties as workers tried to find the leak.

Ramona Nye of the Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the natural gas industry, said the agency was notified by the gas company about the incident.

The explosion caused $270,000 in damage, including $20,000 to a vehicle. The house at 1710 Payne St. sustained $50,000 in structural damage.