Kinder Morgan

Description

During the installation of a water-district main for the East Bay Municipal Utility District, a backhoe operator with Mountain Cascade punctured a high-pressure pipeline owned by Kinder Morgan. The puncture caused an explosion, killing five workers and seriously injuring four others. Cal/OSHA found that Kinder Morgan had failed to mark a bend in the Walnut Creek line. In addition to Cal/OSHA fines, the state fire marshal fined Kinder Morgan.

Prosecutors:
Unavailable
Incident Type: Fire/ Explosion
County: San Francisco
State: CA
Date: Nov. 9, 2004
Additional Materials
Folder for Kinder Morgan materials
Available Case Materials Include:
Media Clips & Gov't. Press
OSHA inspection detail
Contact for Additional Information:
Unavailable
Victims
First Last Age Title Employer Injury Type
Tae Chin Gene Im 47 Unavailable Mountain Cascade Fatality
Javier Ramos 35 Unavailable Mountain Cascade Fatality
Israel Hernandez 36 Unavailable Matamoros Welding Fatality
Victor Rodriguez 26 Unavailable Matamoros Welding Fatality
Miguel Reyes 43 Unavailable Matamoros Welding Fatality
Jeremy Knox 26 Unavailable Matamoros Welding Injury
Roger Paasch Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable Injury
Miguel Fuentes Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable Injury
Patrick Farley Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable Injury
Martin Topete Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable Injury
Defendants
Name Type Title Plea Info. Conviction Sentence
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)
Kinder Morgan Entity Entity Pleaded no contest Company ordered to pay $10 million fine in criminal case involving violations of the state labor code. As part of the plea agreement signed by Kinder Morgan, it stated that it was the proximate cause of the puncture of the line and of the deaths and injuries that resulted from the incident. Also, the company agreed that its employees must fully inspect its pipelines during excavation and conduct an audit of its training procedures.
Crimes Charged: Penal Crimes: None
Other Crimes: Felony Labor Code violations (unspecified) (6 counts)