The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission on March 1 issued a complaint against Puget Sound Energy alleging the utility violated certain gas-safety rules when it responded to reported gas leaks in a north Seattle neighborhood that later destroyed a house and injured two people.

The complaint contains a staff recommendation a $400,000 fine be levied against the company for failure to follow natural gas leak survey rules.

Bellevue-based PSE has 20 calendar days to file a response. The three-member commission will set a schedule for hearing the complaint to consider whether to impose a penalty and, if so, at what amount. The company is not allowed to pass any penalty costs to customers through rates.