# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-80-085 **Citation:** P-80-085 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board **Effective:** 1981-02-26 **Published:** 1981-02-26 THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO: ASSIGN AT LEAST ONE FULL-TIME QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL TO THE DUTIES OF PIPELINE SAFETY SO THAT THE TASKS OF INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS CAN BE CARRIED OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS. ## Document text NTSB safety recommendation P-80-085. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO: ASSIGN AT LEAST ONE FULL-TIME QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL TO THE DUTIES OF PIPELINE SAFETY SO THAT THE TASKS OF INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS CAN BE CARRIED OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS. Priority: CLASS II Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1981-02-26 Adopted Date: 1980-12-19 Overall Date Closed: 1988-07-25 Synopsis: ON JANUARY 30, 1980, AN 8-INCH-DIAMETER, REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS PIPELINE OWNED BY THE PIPELINES OF PUERTO RICO, INC., AND OPERATED BY THE SHELL OIL COMPANY (PUERTO RICO) LTD., WAS STRUCK AND RUPTURED BY A BULLDOZER DURING MAINTENANCE WORK ON A NEARBY WATERLINE IN THE SECTOR CANA OF BAYAMON, PUERTO RICO, ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SAN JUAN. GASOLINE FROM THE RUPTURE SPRAYED DOWNHILL AND RAN OFF INTO A SMALL CREEK. ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS LATER, THE GASOLINE VAPORS WERE IGNITED BY AN UNDERTERMINED SOURCE AND EXPLODED; THE SUBSEQUENT FIRE KILLED ONE PERSON AND EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED 25 HOUSES AND OTHER PROPERTY. Probable Cause: None Ntsbnumber: DCA80MP008 Report Number: PAR-80-06 Addressee Name: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Public Service Commission Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Addressee Date Closed: 1988-07-25 Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1982-11-03 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION LETTER: AS A RESULT OF THE CLOSING OF THE COMMONWEALTH OIL REFINING COMPANY COMPLEX AT TALLABOA, THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER USED AND ITS OWNER REQUESTED PERMISSION FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENDING OPERATIONS DURING A THREE MONTH PERIOD STARTING JULY 1, 1982. PERMISSION WAS GRANTED IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1982. RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN DEFERRED PENDING THE FINAL DECISION ON THE PIPELINE. Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1988-06-02 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: SAID INSPECTORS PRIORITY DUTY ON NATURAL GAS PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS, IS TO ASSURE THAT THE TASKS OF INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATION IN THE SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY PIPELINE NETWORK, ARE CARRIED OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS. Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1983-05-19 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1982-10-05 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1988-07-25 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1988-04-13 Communication Type: Official Correspondence ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline` - SHA-256: `27df113f6a85834b8d6c3d80ccfe0e354cd52d2f6cb99cdeb6c23b7991876f49` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z - Exported: 2026-08-23T13:20:08.846Z - Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-80-085` ### Source metadata ```json { "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation", "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-80-085", "recommendationMode": "Pipeline", "topicMode": "Pipeline", "ntsbNumber": "DCA80MP008", "priority": "CLASS II", "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA", "overallDateClosed": "1988-07-25", "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15", "reportNumber": "PAR-80-06", "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA80MP008.aspx", "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P80_81_85.pdf", "addressees": [ { "addresseeName": "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Public Service Commission", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "addresseeDateClosed": "1988-07-25", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": "CSP", "addresseeOrganizationType": "L-Local Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1982-11-03", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION LETTER: AS A RESULT OF THE CLOSING OF THE COMMONWEALTH OIL REFINING COMPANY COMPLEX AT TALLABOA, THIS PRODUCT IS NO LONGER USED AND ITS OWNER REQUESTED PERMISSION FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENDING OPERATIONS DURING A THREE MONTH PERIOD STARTING JULY 1, 1982. PERMISSION WAS GRANTED IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1982. RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN DEFERRED PENDING THE FINAL DECISION ON THE PIPELINE." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "CSP", "addresseeOrganizationType": "L-Local Government", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1988-06-02", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "SAID INSPECTORS PRIORITY DUTY ON NATURAL GAS PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS, IS TO ASSURE THAT THE TASKS OF INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATION IN THE SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY PIPELINE NETWORK, ARE CARRIED OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "CSP", "addresseeOrganizationType": "L-Local Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1983-05-19", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "CSP", "addresseeOrganizationType": "L-Local Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1982-10-05", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "CSP", "addresseeOrganizationType": "L-Local Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-07-25", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "CSP", "addresseeOrganizationType": "L-Local Government", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-04-13", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] } ], "jurisdiction": "US" } ```