# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-84-012

**Citation:** P-84-012  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1984-06-15  
**Published:** 1984-06-15

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE INTERSTATE POWER COMPANY: REVIEW WITH ITS GAS DISTRICT CLERKS PROCEDURES FOR THE IMMEDIATE RECORDING OF LEAK COMPLAINTS AND IMMEDIATE DISPATCH OF PERSONNEL, AND STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMEDIATELY RECORDING COMPLAINTS AND ENSURING RESPONSE ACTIVITY.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-84-012.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE INTERSTATE POWER COMPANY: REVIEW WITH ITS GAS DISTRICT CLERKS PROCEDURES FOR THE IMMEDIATE RECORDING OF LEAK COMPLAINTS AND IMMEDIATE DISPATCH OF PERSONNEL, AND STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMEDIATELY RECORDING COMPLAINTS AND ENSURING RESPONSE ACTIVITY.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1984-06-15

Adopted Date: 1984-05-17

Overall Date Closed: 1985-01-10

Synopsis: ON JULY 12, 1983, NATURAL GAS ESCAPING UNDER 60 POUNDS PRESSURE FROM A CRACK IN A BUTT FUSION JOINT IN A 2-INCH PLASTIC GAS MAIN ENTERED AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN CLEAR LAKE, IOWA, EXPLODED, AN THEN BURNED. TWO INTERSTATE POWER COMPANY EMPLOYEES WERE INJURED, ONE APARTMENT BUILDING WAS DESTROYED, AND THE ADJACENT APARTMENT BUILDING WAS DAMAGED HEAVILY. DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN $1 MILLION; NONE OF THE RESIDENTS WERE INJURED OR KILLED.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA83MP022

Report Number: PAR-84-02

Addressee Name: Interstate Power Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1985-01-10

Addressee Acronym: IPL

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1984-09-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INTERSTATE POWER COMPANY LETTER: ACTION TAKEN: THERE HAS BEEN A REVIEW WITH DISTRICT CLERKS ON THE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR IMMEDIATE RECORDING OF LEAK COMPLAINTS AND IMMEDIATE DISPATCHING OF PERSONNEL. SPECIAL EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO THE METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING LEAK COMPLAINTS. WE HAVE MADE CHANGES IN OUR INVESTIGATION ORDER AND WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION ORDER COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS. THIS SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND BEYOND.

Addressee Acronym: IPL

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-01-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-84-012>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `f4e833c9988a9347b50d8b95a79e2f4f9815922f0978cce0bfe029694d712a22`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T20:37:06.847Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-84-012`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-84-012",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA83MP022",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1985-01-10",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-84-02",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA83MP022.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P84_11_12.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Interstate Power Company",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1985-01-10",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "IPL",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1984-09-13",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "INTERSTATE POWER COMPANY LETTER:  ACTION TAKEN:  THERE HAS BEEN A REVIEW WITH DISTRICT CLERKS ON THE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR IMMEDIATE RECORDING OF LEAK COMPLAINTS AND IMMEDIATE DISPATCHING OF PERSONNEL.  SPECIAL EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO THE METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING LEAK COMPLAINTS.  WE HAVE MADE CHANGES IN OUR INVESTIGATION ORDER AND WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION ORDER COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS.  THIS SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND BEYOND."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": "IPL",
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1985-01-10",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```