NTSB Safety Recommendation P-72-003

NTSB safety recommendation P-72-003.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT: THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION FORMULATE AND ADD TO 49 CFR 195 THE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL PIPELINE COMPANIES FORMALLY NOTIFY APPROPRIATE STATE AND LOCAL CIVIL AGENCIES OF THE ROUTE THE PIPELINES FOLLOW IN DETAIL, THE TYPE OF MATERIAL THEY CARRY, AND THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION TO BE USED IN AN EMERGENCY.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Issued Date: 1971-12-08

Adopted Date: 1971-12-08

Overall Date Closed: 1975-12-30

Synopsis: ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1970, A PIPELINE LEAK OCCURRED IN THE COLONIAL PIPELINE SYSTEM NEAR JACKSONVILLE, MARYLAND. CONTRACTORS WORKED CONTINUOUSLY FOR 20 HOURS TO FIND THE LEAK, AND ON THE NEXT DAY AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY A FIRE. THERE WERE NO FATALITIES, BUT FIVE WORKMEN WERE BURNED.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the leak was a flaw of undetermined origin in the pipe wall, crater-like in appearance, wide at the surface and narrowing down to a thin metal membrane, which failed after a period of constantly fluctuating pumping pressures. The probable cause of the explosion and fires was the ingestion of the gasoline vapor-rich atmosphere by a diesel engine which resulted in the speeding up and backfiring of the engine, igniting the atmosphere.

Ntsbnumber: DCA70MP003

Report Number: PAR-71-02

Addressee Name: FRA

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1975-12-30

Addressee Acronym: FRA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1972-04-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LETTER FROM FRA: TO HAVE ALL PIPELINE COMPANIES FORMALLY NOTIFY APPROPRIATE STATE AND LOCAL CIVIL AGENCIES OF LINE LOCATIONS AND TO DISCUSS INFORMATION CONCERNING PROJECTED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS WOULD BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH PIPELINE COMPANY AND TO CONTRACTORS AND EQUIPMENT OPERATORS WHO OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 20% OF ALL LIQUID PIPELINE ACCIDENTS REPORTED ON DOT FORM 7000-1. THIS NTSB RECOMMENDATION WILL BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER FOR POSSIBLE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING.