# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-80-053

**Citation:** P-80-053  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1980-06-23  
**Published:** 1980-06-23

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: ADVISE ITS MEMBER COMPANIES TO REQUIRE IN THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES THE TRAINING AND EQUIPPING OF LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES FOR THE CONTROL OF GAS DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE FAILURES IN SYSTEMS WHERE QUALIFIED GAS COMPANY EMPLOYEES CANNOT RESPOND RAPIDLY.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-80-053.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: ADVISE ITS MEMBER COMPANIES TO REQUIRE IN THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES THE TRAINING AND EQUIPPING OF LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES FOR THE CONTROL OF GAS DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE FAILURES IN SYSTEMS WHERE QUALIFIED GAS COMPANY EMPLOYEES CANNOT RESPOND RAPIDLY.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1980-06-23

Adopted Date: 1980-06-10

Overall Date Closed: 1983-05-04

Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 24, 1979, AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE DESTROYED THE GREENE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE BUILDING AND THE ADJOINING GREENE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, GUTTED A CONNECTING BUILDING WHICH WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND DAMAGED NEARBY BUILDINGS IN STANARDSVILLE, VIRGINIA. THIRTEEN PERSONS WERE INJURED AND THE PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Firefighting, Training and Education

Ntsbnumber: DCA80MP003

Report Number: PAR-80-03

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-05-04

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-02-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION (AGA) LETTER AND DISCUSSION WITH AGA GOVERNMENT LIAISON ON MARCH 21, 1983: AGA WILL COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION BY ISSUING A NOTICE TO ITS MEMBER SYSTEMS. THIS NOTICE MAY CONTAIN, HOWEVER, SOME CHANGES WHICH THE AGA FEELS ARE NECESSARY TO CLARIFY THE INTENT OF RECOMMENDATION P-80-53.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-05-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1982-10-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-07-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-80-053>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `b785d3a68bd72649e87971f34a3e9b0b89dadbd77a1c20a96880cd2320766a5f`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T19:07:17.915Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-80-053`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-80-053",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA80MP003",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1983-05-04",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-80-03",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA80MP003.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P80_50_53.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "American Gas Association",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1983-05-04",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "AGA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1983-02-01",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION (AGA) LETTER AND DISCUSSION WITH AGA GOVERNMENT LIAISON ON MARCH 21, 1983:  AGA WILL COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION BY ISSUING A NOTICE TO ITS MEMBER SYSTEMS.  THIS NOTICE MAY CONTAIN, HOWEVER, SOME CHANGES WHICH THE AGA FEELS ARE NECESSARY TO CLARIFY THE INTENT OF RECOMMENDATION P-80-53."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "AGA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1983-05-04",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "AGA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1982-10-05",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "AGA",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1983-07-22",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```