Norwich Township Fire Department, which serves Hilliard, reported at least one gas line strike tied to underground utility work since 2023, according to a 10 Investigates review published Thursday, Sept. 24.
The investigation, first reported by WBNS reporter Rochelle Alleyne, identified 93 gas line strikes across Franklin, Fairfield and Delaware counties between Jan. 1, 2023, and July 7, 2026. Norwich Township was one of 15 fire departments that confirmed at least one verified incident.
The strikes are concentrated in areas where crews are drilling underground to install fiber-optic cable. Roger Lipscomb, president and executive director of Ohio 811, the statewide nonprofit that coordinates dig requests, said the agency received 1.6 to 1.7 million requests to dig in 2025.
"Those guys are all tripping over each other trying to get in there and be the first on your road," Lipscomb told 10 Investigates.
Out-of-state contractors performing fiber-optic work in Ohio may not be familiar with the state's excavation laws, Lipscomb told WFMJ.
New law requires strike reporting
A new Ohio law, House Bill 227 (HB 227), took effect June 9 and now requires excavators to report all utility strikes to Ohio 811. Previously, no such mandate existed, making it difficult for any agency to track the full scope of the problem, according to Lipscomb.
Under HB 227, excavators must report the location, type of facility, approximate the size and depth of the buried utility. Ohio 811 must maintain a centralized database and publish the compiled information, according to Cleveland.com. The law also changed the advance-notice requirement for excavators to at least two working days before digging.
Complaints more than doubled in 2025
Ohio regulators received 432 underground-utility safety complaints in 2025, more than 2.5 times the 164 complaints filed in 2024, according to the state's Underground Technical Committee (UTC). Of 279 cases the UTC reviewed, violations were found in 251, or 90%.
Excavators failed to contact Ohio 811 before digging in 134 cases. Utilities failed to mark underground facilities on time in 94 cases.
The committee assessed $203,950 in fines across 225 cases in 2025. State law allows up to $2,500 for a first violation and $5,000 for repeat offenses.
Lipscomb said some repeat offenders treat the fines as a cost of doing business. Efforts are underway to increase penalties.
Norwich Township Fire operates four stations under Fire Chief Dave Baird. The 10 Investigates report did not specify how many incidents Norwich Township reported or where they occurred within the township. Residents who suspect a gas leak or see underground utility damage can call 911 or reach Ohio 811 by dialing 811 before any digging project.
