# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-029

**Citation:** P-85-029  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1985-11-27  
**Published:** 1985-11-27

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE DRESSER MANUFACTURING DIVISION OF DRESSER INDUSTRIES, INC: REVIEW ITS INTERCOMPANY COMMUNICATION PRACTICES, AND REVISE THEM WHERE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT CUSTOMERS ORDERING A NEW OR MODIFIED PRODUCT WILL BE ADVISED OF THE PRODUCT'S LIMITATIONS.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-85-029.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE DRESSER MANUFACTURING DIVISION OF DRESSER INDUSTRIES, INC: REVIEW ITS INTERCOMPANY COMMUNICATION PRACTICES, AND REVISE THEM WHERE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT CUSTOMERS ORDERING A NEW OR MODIFIED PRODUCT WILL BE ADVISED OF THE PRODUCT'S LIMITATIONS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1985-11-27

Adopted Date: 1987-01-01

Overall Date Closed: 1986-07-28

Synopsis: AT 2:40 A.M., ON FEBRUARY 22, 1985, A POLICE PATROLMAN ON ROUTINE PATROL SMELLED STRONG NATURAL GAS ODORS AS HE CROSSED RAILROAD TRACKS WHILE HEADING SOUTH ON NORTH SIXTH STREET IN SHARPSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. HE RADIOED THIS INFOR MATION TO THE SHARPSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT DISPATCHER AT 2:42 A.M.; THE DISPATCHER RELAYED THE INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY (GAS COMPANY) BY TELEPHONE AT 2:43 A.M., AND A GAS SERVICEMAN WAS ORDERED TO THE SCENE. AT 3:15 A.M., BEFORE THE SERVICEMAN ARRIVED AT THE SITE OF THE REPORTED LEAK, THE SHARPSVILLE INN AND A CONNECTING BUILDING EXPLODED AND BURNED, KILLING TWO PERSONS. FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVING ONSCENE MOMENTS LATER ENCOUNTERED A SECOND, SMALLER EXPLOSION WHICH INJURED ONE FIREFIGHTER. GAS COMPANY PERSONNEL SHUT OFF THE GAS TO THE LEAK SITE AT 4:15 A.M.

Ntsbnumber: DCA85AP009

Report Number: PAR-85-02

Addressee Name: Dresser Industries, Inc.

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1986-07-28

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-01-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: DRESSER INDUSTRIES LTR: IN KEEPING WITH DRESSER'S LONG STANDING PRACTICE OF PROVIDING LEADERSHIP IN THE AREA OF ENHANCING PRODUCT AND INDUSTRY SAFETY, WE WILL REVISE OUR PRACTICES TO INCLUDE THE REDUNDANT INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR "NON-STANDARD" PRODUCTS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-06-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ENCLOSED PLEASE FIND A COPY OF A MEMO FROM J. VAN HOUTTE TO D.M. RODI, OUR MANAGER OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, REVISING OUR INTERCOMPANY COMMUNICATION PRACTICES TO INCLUDE REDUNDANT INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR "NONSTANDARD" PRODUCTS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-03-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1986-07-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-85-029>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `6473e027b7846160020cf561aaa694ce4e62885b74d78d16b70bbd8265aa8d85`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T12:07:29.824Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-85-029`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-85-029",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA85AP009",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1986-07-28",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2016-11-15",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-85-02",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA85AP009.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P85_29.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Dresser Industries, Inc.",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1986-07-28",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1986-01-02",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "DRESSER INDUSTRIES LTR:  IN KEEPING WITH DRESSER'S LONG STANDING PRACTICE OF PROVIDING LEADERSHIP IN THE AREA OF ENHANCING PRODUCT AND INDUSTRY SAFETY, WE WILL REVISE OUR PRACTICES TO INCLUDE THE REDUNDANT INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR \"NON-STANDARD\" PRODUCTS."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
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          "communicationDate": "1986-06-04",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "ENCLOSED PLEASE FIND A COPY OF A MEMO FROM J. VAN HOUTTE TO D.M. RODI, OUR MANAGER OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, REVISING OUR INTERCOMPANY COMMUNICATION PRACTICES TO INCLUDE REDUNDANT INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR \"NONSTANDARD\" PRODUCTS."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
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          "communicationDate": "1986-03-25",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
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}
```