# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-80-032 **Citation:** P-80-032 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board **Effective:** 1980-05-07 **Published:** 1980-05-07 THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE U.S. COAST GUARD: PROMULGATE REGULATIONS WHICH ESTABLISH CRITERIA TO ENSURE THE ADEQUATE PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF FIRE WATER MAINS AND THE INSTALLATION OF SUFFICIENT ISOLATION VALVES TO PREVENT THE SYSTEM FROM BECOMING COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF A BREAK IN ANY SINGLE PART OF THE FIRE WATER SYSTEM. ## Document text NTSB safety recommendation P-80-032. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE U.S. COAST GUARD: PROMULGATE REGULATIONS WHICH ESTABLISH CRITERIA TO ENSURE THE ADEQUATE PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF FIRE WATER MAINS AND THE INSTALLATION OF SUFFICIENT ISOLATION VALVES TO PREVENT THE SYSTEM FROM BECOMING COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF A BREAK IN ANY SINGLE PART OF THE FIRE WATER SYSTEM. Priority: CLASS II Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1980-05-07 Adopted Date: 1980-04-16 Overall Date Closed: 1988-05-20 Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 6, 1979, AN EXPLOSION CAUSED BY LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS (NPG) VAPORS DESTROYED A TRANSFORMER BUILDING AT THE RECEPTION FACILITY OF THE COLUMBIA LNG CORPORATION, COVE POINT, MARYLAND. ODORLESS LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS LEAKED THROUGH AN INADEQUATELY TIGHTENED LNG PUMP SEAL, VAPORIZED, PASSED THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 210 FT OF UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL CONDUIT AND ENTERED THE SUBSTATION BUILDING. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED, AND ONE PERSON WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. DAMAGE TO THE FACILITY WAS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $3 MILLION. Ntsbnumber: DCA80MP001 Report Number: PAR-80-02 Addressee Name: USCG Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Addressee Date Closed: 1988-05-20 Addressee Acronym: USCG Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1987-04-13 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: THE COAST GUARD CONCURS WITH THE INTENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION. TO PROTECT THE MARINE TRANSFER AREA, [127.607 OF THE LNG WATERFRONT FACILITIES NPRM (51 FR 18276)] REQUIRES AT LEAST TWO WATER STREAMS TO EACH PART OF THE AREA AND AT LEAST ONE ISOLATION VALVE AT EACH BRANCH CONNECTION. Addressee Acronym: USCG Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1980-08-26 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: USCG LTR: AN NPRM PROPOSING REQUIREMENTS FOR A FIRE MAIN SYSTEM AND MINIMUM WATER DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS AT ALL WATERFRONT FACILITIES IS CURRENTLY BEING DRAFTED. AS A PART OF THIS FIRE PUMP SYSTEM, THE COAST GUARD IS PROPOSING THE INCLUSION OF AN EMERGENCY FIRE PUMP CAPABLE OF MEETING THE MINIMUM WATER DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS AND OF OPERATING DURING LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AT THE FACILITY. ADDITIONALLY, USE OF ISOLATION VALVES IN THE FIRE MAIN SYSTEM WILL ALSO BE PROPOSED. THE PUBLICATION OF THE NPRM IS EXPECTED IN LATE FALL 1980 UNDER DOCKET NUMBER 77-128. Addressee Acronym: USCG Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1980-09-23 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: USCG Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government Communication Date: 1988-05-20 Communication Type: Official Correspondence ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline` - SHA-256: `979a6fad0de86a9b03b417e869b4abd3c63d8e41e46b3c268726be76e543c683` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T01:38:21.330Z - Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-80-032` ### Source metadata ```json { "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation", "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-80-032", "recommendationMode": "Pipeline", "topicMode": "Pipeline", "ntsbNumber": "DCA80MP001", "priority": "CLASS II", "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA", "overallDateClosed": "1988-05-20", "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15", "reportNumber": "PAR-80-02", "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA80MP001.aspx", "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P80_31_33.pdf", "addressees": [ { "addresseeName": "USCG", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "addresseeDateClosed": "1988-05-20", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": "USCG", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1987-04-13", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "THE COAST GUARD CONCURS WITH THE INTENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION. TO PROTECT THE MARINE TRANSFER AREA, [127.607 OF THE LNG WATERFRONT FACILITIES NPRM (51 FR 18276)] REQUIRES AT LEAST TWO WATER STREAMS TO EACH PART OF THE AREA AND AT LEAST ONE ISOLATION VALVE AT EACH BRANCH CONNECTION." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "USCG", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1980-08-26", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "USCG LTR: AN NPRM PROPOSING REQUIREMENTS FOR A FIRE MAIN SYSTEM AND MINIMUM WATER DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS AT ALL WATERFRONT FACILITIES IS CURRENTLY BEING DRAFTED. AS A PART OF THIS FIRE PUMP SYSTEM, THE COAST GUARD IS PROPOSING THE INCLUSION OF AN EMERGENCY FIRE PUMP CAPABLE OF MEETING THE MINIMUM WATER DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS AND OF OPERATING DURING LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AT THE FACILITY. ADDITIONALLY, USE OF ISOLATION VALVES IN THE FIRE MAIN SYSTEM WILL ALSO BE PROPOSED. THE PUBLICATION OF THE NPRM IS EXPECTED IN LATE FALL 1980 UNDER DOCKET NUMBER 77-128." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "USCG", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1980-09-23", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "USCG", "addresseeOrganizationType": "G-Federal Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-05-20", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] } ], "jurisdiction": "US" } ```