NTSB Safety Recommendation P-00-013

NTSB safety recommendation P-00-013.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS: INFORM YOUR MEMBERSHIP OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE 12/11/98, ACCIDENT IN ST. CLOUD, MN, TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF GAS MIGRATING INTO BUILDINGS FROM DAMAGED UNDERGROUND GAS LINES. ADVISE YOUR MEMBERSHIP OF THE NEED TO DETERMINE THE HAZARDS POSED BY NATURAL GAS LEAKS AND THE VALUE OF HAVING AN EVACUATION PLAN IN PLACE TO BE USED WHEN THE SITUATION WARRANTS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 2000-07-18

Adopted Date: 2000-07-11

Overall Date Closed: 2000-09-28

Synopsis: ABOUT 10:50 A.M. ON 12/11/98, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL A UTILITY POLE SUPPORT ANCHOR IN A CITY SIDEWALK IN ST. CLOUD, MN, A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK INSTALLATION CREW FROM CABLE CONSTRUCTORS, INC., (CCI) STRUCK AND RUPTURED AN UNDERGROUND, 1-INCH-DIAMETER, HIGH-PRESSURE PLASTIC GAS SERVICE PIPELINE, THEREBY PRECIPITATING A NATURAL GAS LEAK. ABOUT 39 MINUTES LATER, WHILE UTILITY WORKERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL WERE TAKING PRELIMINARY PRECAUTIONS AND ASSESSING THE SITUATION, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED. AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSION, 4 PERSONS WERE FATALLY INJURED; 1 PERSON WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED; AND 10 PERSONS, INCLUDING 2 FIREFIGHTERS AND 1 POLICE OFFICER, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. SIX BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS ESTIMATED PROPERTY LOSSES AT $399,000.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the lack of adequate procedures by CCI to prevent damage to nearby utilities when its anchor installation crews encountered unusual conditions such as striking an underground obstacle. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the delay by CCI in notifying the proper authorities.

Keywords: Hazmat

Ntsbnumber: DCA99MP001

Report Number: PAR-00-01

Addressee Name: International Association of Fire Chiefs

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2000-09-28

Addressee Acronym: IAFC

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2000-08-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 08/16/2000 3:42:36 PM MC# 2001078 I HAVE ENCLOSED 10 COPIES OF THE 8/15/00 ISSUE OF ON SCENE IN RESPONSE TO THE NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS TO ICHIEFS TO NOTIFY OUR MEMBERSHIP ABOUT THE 12/11/98 ACCIDENT IN ST. CLOUD, MN.

Addressee Acronym: IAFC

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2000-09-28

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD HAS REVIEWED THE 8/15/00, ISSUE OF THE ICHIEFS NEWSLETTER, ON SCENE, THAT INCLUDES THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, PROBABLE CAUSE, AND SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ST. CLOUD ACCIDENT. BECAUSE ICHIEFS HAS INFORMED ITS MEMBERSHIP OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE 12/11/98, ACCIDENT IN ST. CLOUD, MN, TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF GAS MIGRATING INTO BUILDINGS FROM DAMAGED UNDERGROUND GAS LINES, AND HAS ADVISED ITS MEMBERSHIP OF THE NEED TO DETERMINE THE HAZARDS POSED BY NATURAL GAS LEAKS AND THE VALUE OF HAVING AN EVACUATION PLAN IN PLACE TO BE USED WHEN THE SITUATION WARRANTS, P-00-13 IS CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."