# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-032 **Citation:** P-85-032 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board **Effective:** 1985-11-27 **Published:** 1985-11-27 THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS GAS PIPING STANDARDS COMMITTEE AND THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE: DEVELOP, IN COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES, GUIDELINES FOR OPERATORS OF PIPELINES DESCRIBING THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES SHOULD BE CALLED TO RESPOND TO PIPELINE EMERGENCIES AND TO TAKE INITIAL LIFESAVING M ## Document text NTSB safety recommendation P-85-032. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS GAS PIPING STANDARDS COMMITTEE AND THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE: DEVELOP, IN COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES, GUIDELINES FOR OPERATORS OF PIPELINES DESCRIBING THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES SHOULD BE CALLED TO RESPOND TO PIPELINE EMERGENCIES AND TO TAKE INITIAL LIFESAVING MEASURES, AND DESCRIBING THE TYPE AND EXTENT OF TRAINING THAT SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES AS FIRST RESPONDERS TO PIPELINE EMERGENCIES. Priority: CLASS II Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1985-11-27 Adopted Date: 1987-01-01 Overall Date Closed: 1991-12-17 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. Keywords: Firefighting, Training and Education Ntsbnumber: DCA85AP009 Report Number: PAR-85-02 Addressee Name: American Society of Mechanical Engineers Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable Addressee Date Closed: 1991-12-17 Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1988-10-25 Communication Type: Recommendation Reiteration Communication Contents: From the pipeline accident report of the Piedmont Natural Gas Company natural gas explosion and fire in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 18, 1988. The Board adopted this report on 10/25/1988. In addition, the Safety Board reiterated the following safety recommendations: P-85-32 and P-87-21. Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1988-12-19 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: THE ASME GAS PIPING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE ON 10-22-87 APPROVED REVISING GUIDE MATERIAL 3.4 UNDER 192.615 IN THE ASME GAS GUIDE. AFTER APPROPRIATE APPROVAL PROCEDURES THE REVISION WAS INCORPORATED INTO ADDENDA 4 TO THE 1986 EDITION OF THE GAS GUIDE. THE PRESENT B31 GAS PIPING TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WILL BE REVIEWING, ALONG WITH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES, ACTIONS FOR P-85-33. Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1989-03-16 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: THE ASME HAS, ON DECEMBER 19, 1988, SOLICITED COMMENTS FROM THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES ON GUIDE MATERIAL DEVELOPED FOR 192.615: INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS, INC., INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE AND THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF FIRE SERVICE INSTRUCTORS. Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1987-09-09 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1988-11-21 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1989-02-21 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: ASME Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1989-04-19 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Name: American Petroleum Institute Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Addressee Date Closed: 1991-10-11 Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1988-10-25 Communication Type: Recommendation Reiteration Communication Contents: From the pipeline accident report of the Piedmont Natural Gas Company natural gas explosion and fire in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 18, 1988. The Board adopted this report on 10/25/1988. In addition, the Safety Board reiterated the following safety recommendations: P-85-32 and P-87-21. Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1987-09-29 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: THE API CONSIDERS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO ALL INCIDENTS INVOLVING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE HAVE INITIATED COMPREHENSIVE ACTIONS DEVELOPING THE INDUSTRY'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPABILITIES, AND IMPROVED LIAISON WITH PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS, IN THE HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION AND MANUFACTURING SECTORS OF THE BUSINESS. EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO PIPELINE INCIDENTS IS A SUBJECT RECEIVING CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION BY BOTH THE U.S. DOT AND THE CONGRESS. THE COGNIZANT API COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN APPRISED OF THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS, IN THIS REGARD, AND PLANS ARE IN PROGRESS TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1988-12-20 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: OUR PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE HAS ESTABLISHED A TASK FORCE TO WRITE INDUSTRY GUIDELINES FOR PIPELINE EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS. WE INTEND TO CONSULT WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES, AS WELL AS NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUIDELINES GOES FORWARD. Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1991-10-11 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: ENCLOSED IS API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1122, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE FOR HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS PIPELINES, WHICH WAS PREPARED IN RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATION CONTAINED IN YOUR NOV. 21, 1988 LETTER ADDRESSED TO C.J. DIBONA. Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1987-09-09 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1987-10-26 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1988-11-21 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1989-01-26 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Acronym: API Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations Communication Date: 1991-12-17 Communication Type: Official Correspondence ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline` - SHA-256: `3de2f7f0bbbad1334a37b60dacf07a45257c7318c08e992e95e67c0785638b19` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T05:25:56.410Z - Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-85-032` ### Source metadata ```json { "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation", "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-85-032", "recommendationMode": "Pipeline", "topicMode": "Pipeline", "ntsbNumber": "DCA85AP009", "priority": "CLASS II", "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA", "overallDateClosed": "1991-12-17", "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_32.pdf", "addressees": [ { "addresseeName": "American Society of Mechanical Engineers", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable", "addresseeDateClosed": "1991-12-17", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-10-25", "communicationType": "Recommendation Reiteration", "communicationContents": "From the pipeline accident report of the Piedmont Natural Gas Company natural gas explosion and fire in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 18, 1988. The Board adopted this report on 10/25/1988. In addition, the Safety Board reiterated the following safety recommendations: P-85-32 and P-87-21." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1988-12-19", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "THE ASME GAS PIPING TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE ON 10-22-87 APPROVED REVISING GUIDE MATERIAL 3.4 UNDER 192.615 IN THE ASME GAS GUIDE. AFTER APPROPRIATE APPROVAL PROCEDURES THE REVISION WAS INCORPORATED INTO ADDENDA 4 TO THE 1986 EDITION OF THE GAS GUIDE. THE PRESENT B31 GAS PIPING TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WILL BE REVIEWING, ALONG WITH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES, ACTIONS FOR P-85-33." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1989-03-16", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "THE ASME HAS, ON DECEMBER 19, 1988, SOLICITED COMMENTS FROM THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES ON GUIDE MATERIAL DEVELOPED FOR 192.615: INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS, INC., INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE AND THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF FIRE SERVICE INSTRUCTORS." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1987-09-09", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-11-21", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1989-02-21", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "ASME", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1989-04-19", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] }, { "addresseeName": "American Petroleum Institute", "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CAA", "addresseeStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action", "addresseeDateClosed": "1991-10-11", "addresseeDetails": [ { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-10-25", "communicationType": "Recommendation Reiteration", "communicationContents": "From the pipeline accident report of the Piedmont Natural Gas Company natural gas explosion and fire in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on January 18, 1988. The Board adopted this report on 10/25/1988. In addition, the Safety Board reiterated the following safety recommendations: P-85-32 and P-87-21." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1987-09-29", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "THE API CONSIDERS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO ALL INCIDENTS INVOLVING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE HAVE INITIATED COMPREHENSIVE ACTIONS DEVELOPING THE INDUSTRY'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPABILITIES, AND IMPROVED LIAISON WITH PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS, IN THE HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION AND MANUFACTURING SECTORS OF THE BUSINESS. EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO PIPELINE INCIDENTS IS A SUBJECT RECEIVING CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION BY BOTH THE U.S. DOT AND THE CONGRESS. THE COGNIZANT API COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN APPRISED OF THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS, IN THIS REGARD, AND PLANS ARE IN PROGRESS TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1988-12-20", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "OUR PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE HAS ESTABLISHED A TASK FORCE TO WRITE INDUSTRY GUIDELINES FOR PIPELINE EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS. WE INTEND TO CONSULT WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES, AS WELL AS NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUIDELINES GOES FORWARD." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": false, "communicationDate": "1991-10-11", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "ENCLOSED IS API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1122, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE FOR HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS PIPELINES, WHICH WAS PREPARED IN RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATION CONTAINED IN YOUR NOV. 21, 1988 LETTER ADDRESSED TO C.J. DIBONA." }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1987-09-09", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1987-10-26", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1988-11-21", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1989-01-26", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" }, { "addresseeAcronym": "API", "addresseeOrganizationType": "A-Associations", "isFromNtsb": true, "communicationDate": "1991-12-17", "communicationType": "Official Correspondence", "communicationContents": "" } ] } ], "jurisdiction": "US" } ```