# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-008

**Citation:** P-85-008  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1985-07-01  
**Published:** 1985-07-01

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SOUTHWEST GAS CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR TO THE ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY: CONTINUOUSLY SAMPLE THE NATURAL GAS STREAM AT ITS TOWN BORDER STATIONS FOR ENTRAPPED LIQUIDS, CHECK THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ANY LIQUIDS COLLECTED TO DETERMINE THEIR EFFECTS ON ABS OR OTHER TYPES OF PLASTIC PIPE, AND IF INDICATED FILTER OR OTHERWISE REMOVE THESE LIQUIDS BEFORE THEY ENTER THE GAS DISTRIBUTION

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-85-008.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SOUTHWEST GAS CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR TO THE ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY: CONTINUOUSLY SAMPLE THE NATURAL GAS STREAM AT ITS TOWN BORDER STATIONS FOR ENTRAPPED LIQUIDS, CHECK THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ANY LIQUIDS COLLECTED TO DETERMINE THEIR EFFECTS ON ABS OR OTHER TYPES OF PLASTIC PIPE, AND IF INDICATED FILTER OR OTHERWISE REMOVE THESE LIQUIDS BEFORE THEY ENTER THE GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1985-07-01

Adopted Date: 1985-06-12

Overall Date Closed: 1989-05-12

Synopsis: AT 3:30 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1984, AN EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY AN INTENSE NATURAL GASFED FIRE DESTROYED TWO APARTMENTS AT 3022 NORTH 37TH STREET IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA. OF THE 12 PERSONS INJURED IN THE FIRE, 5 PERSONS LATER DIED. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE 1 1/4-INCH-DIAMETER PLASTIC GAS MAIN SUPPLYING GAS TO THE DESTROYED APARTMENTS WAS EXCAVATED AND A 3-INCH-LONG LONGITUDINAL SPLIT WAS DISCOVERED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE 18 FEET FROM THE GAS METERS ON THE APARTMENT BUILDING. GAS AT 30 PSIG HAD ESCAPED THROUGH THE LONGITUDINAL SPLIT, MIGRATED INTO AND UNDER THE APARTMENTS, IGNITED, EXPLODED, AND BURNED.

Keywords: Hazmat

Ntsbnumber: DCA84AP026

Report Number: PAR-85-01

Addressee Name: Southwest Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1989-05-12

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-01-16

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WE INITIATED A PROGRAM IN 1984 OF INSPECTING OUR FIVE TOWN BORDER STATIONS AND SOME OF THE SMALLER RECEIPT POINTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND WILL CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM TILL THE ABS MATERIAL IS REMOVED AT WHICH TIME THE PROGRAM WILL BE EVALUATED. AS OF THIS DATE WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETECT ANY LIQUIDS IN THE SCRUBERS AT THE STATIONS OR ANY OTHER STATION PIPING.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-05-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-10-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-85-008>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `ddfa8e45ba5a45badf24a7979199d0948487e623da3418cb15cafad19f07bb57`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T23:53:24.211Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-85-008`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-85-008",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA84AP026",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1989-05-12",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2023-08-30",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-85-01",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA84AP026.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P85_8_15.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Southwest Gas Company",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1989-05-12",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1989-01-16",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "WE INITIATED A PROGRAM IN 1984 OF INSPECTING OUR FIVE TOWN BORDER STATIONS AND SOME OF THE SMALLER RECEIPT POINTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND WILL CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM TILL THE ABS MATERIAL IS REMOVED AT WHICH TIME THE PROGRAM WILL BE EVALUATED.  AS OF THIS DATE WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETECT ANY LIQUIDS IN THE SCRUBERS AT THE STATIONS OR ANY OTHER STATION PIPING."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1989-05-12",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1988-10-21",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```