How can a city run out of natural gas?

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

My DD and family live in Tucson. Got very cold last night and it was in the 30's today. Mid-morning the pipeline ran out of gas! How can that happen? She has no heat, hot water and can't use the stove. All the hotels are booked and lots of restaurants are closed. Told her to cook soup in the micro. Luckily one of her friends was going to Phoenix to stay and lent them a space heater. It's not supposed to warm up until Monday and they were told the gas probably won't come on again until Monday. The good thing is that she doesn't have to go to work tomorrow.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

America, Please

Eat beens we need the gas!









Sorry I had to do it

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

America, Please

Eat beens we need the gas!

Sorry I had to do it

[dale7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dale7]

Do they have any camping equipment if they do use the stove.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

No camping equipment. That's not their thing. They have a 3 yo and a 7 mo old so that makes it even harder.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Oh Wow! Had to google that. She and I are likely serviced by the same Gas company even though I'm in California.(Southwest Gas) Yikes. It really has been cold the last couple of days. I know that's no consolation to those experiencing ice and snow storms-but places like Arizona don't normally experience such bitter cold and don't expect this sort of impact.

Gosh-they probably don't even have the proper clothes to deal with this. I know I wouldn't. Sending warm thoughts to those babies-let us know how she does.

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

I have Southwest Gas, too, and I'm fine, but that's besides the point.

Does she have any electric appliances, like an electric frying pan, a George Forman type grill, a crock pot, etc? She could cook on any of those. And she can get hot water from her coffee pot and mix it with tap water (so's not to get burned). Does she have a BBQ that uses propane tanks? If she does, does it have a side burner? She could cook on the BBQ or the burner as well. Or a charcoal BBQ, if she has charcoal.

Is her clothes dryer gas or electric? Mine's electric. If hers is, she can put the kids night clothes (and day clothes) and her sweats into the dryer for five minutes or so, and put them on warm. That helps.

Hope some/all of this helps. I've been without power much more than once in my life...'

Fern

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

Thanks for all the good ideas. I don't know why I didn't think about the BBQ since they do have one with a propane tank. Not sure if the dryer is electric or gas and I think she has a coffee pot that makes 1 cup at a time. She can always use the micro to heat water. No heat will be a good excuse for her to stay in bed all day and snuggle with the kiddies.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Thanks for all the good ideas. I don't know why I didn't think about the BBQ since they do have one with a propane tank. Not sure if the dryer is electric or gas and I think she has a coffee pot that makes 1 cup at a time. She can always use the micro to heat water. No heat will be a good excuse for her to stay in bed all day and snuggle with the kiddies.

DO NOT USE THE PROPANE UNITS INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!!!

Carbon monoxide is deadly. Here in Seattle during unexpected cold snaps we often have deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning when people use their BBQs inside their house. It's usually people from warmer climates (often SE Asian immigrants) who don't know not to use fuel burining devices indoors.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I heard RCI took over, and they are renting it for more to whoever is willing to pay.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

DO NOT USE THE PROPANE UNITS INSIDE THE HOUSE!!!!!

Or charcoal either.

However...for cooking (not heating) a propane in the garage for a short time should be okay. Just leave the door open a crack.

That goes under the rule of 'do what I say, not what I do'.
I have my grill in the garage in the winter and cook a lot out there. I also do woodworking in there and have 2 kerosene heaters. The garage is not air tight, so there is little build up of heat let alone CO gasses.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Fern, you're too smart!! We don't have a lot of gas in our area, most homes are electric. So now if we lose power we are sh-t out of luck. shaggy

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

Their bbq is right on their patio and I don't think they would bring it in the house. The baby has just started to crawl so it will be hard to keep her off the cold floor.

[Kay H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kay H]

Pat,
I hope your daughter gets heat soon. Those poor babies.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

I have relatives there and they been without gas for over 30 hours. Using electric space heater and sleeping bags.