​About 1:35 p.m. on December 24, 2008, an explosion and fire caused by a natural gas leak destroyed a house at 10708 Paiute Way in Rancho Cordova, California. One person suffered fatal injuries, and five other people, including one utility employee and one firefighter, were hospitalized as a result of the explosion. Two adjacent homes, one on either side, had severe damage, and several homes suffered minor damage.

​We determined ​​that the probable cause of the December 24, 2008, release, ignition, and explosion of natural gas in Rancho Cordova, California, was the use of a section of unmarked and out-of-specification polyethylene pipe with inadequate wall thickness that allowed gas to leak from the mechanical coupling installed on September 21, 2006. 

Contributing to the accident was the 2-hour 47-minute delay in the arrival at the job site of a Pacific Gas and Electric Company crew that was properly trained and equipped to identify and classify outdoor leaks and to begin response activities to ensure the safety of the residents and public.