NTSB Safety Recommendation P-76-048

NTSB safety recommendation P-76-048.

USE MANUFACTURER'S PROPRIETARY TRANSITION FITTINGS, INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH WRITTEN PROCEDURES, OR USE PIPE-TO-CASING ANCHORS TO LIMIT CONTRACTION OF PLASTIC PIPE, UNTIL A COMPRESSION COUPLING IS VERIFIED BY TESTS TO BE AS STRONG AS THE PLASTIC PIPE BEING JOINED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1976-09-15

Adopted Date: 1976-07-07

Overall Date Closed: 1980-05-22

Synopsis: ON JANUARY 10, 1976, GAS WHICH WAS LEAKING INTO THE PATHFINDER HOTEL, IN FREMONT, NEBRASKA, IGNITED. THE GAS WAS LEAKING FROM A 2-INCH PLASTIC PIPE WHICH HAD PULLED OUT OF ITS COMPRESSION COUPLING; THE GAS SEEPED INTO THE HOTEL BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN CAPPED ABOVE BY FROZEN EARTH AND A CONCRETE ROAD SURFACE. THE HOTEL EXPLODED AND FIRE ENSUED; THE EXPLOSION AND FIRE DESTROYED THE HOTEL, DAMAGED NEARBY BUILDINGS, AND BROKE WINDOWS WITHIN A ONE-BLOCK RADIUS. THIRTY-NINE PERSONS WERE INJURED AND 20 PERSONS WERE KILLED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA76MP013

Report Number: PAR-76-06

Addressee Name: Nebraska Natural Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1980-05-22

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1978-05-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NEBRASKA NATURAL GAS COMPANY LTR: WE PRESENTLY FOLLOW A POLICY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN A FEW DAYS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT OF CONNECTING PLASTIC DISTRIBUTION MAINS AND SERVICES TO STEEL IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER. WE FUSE A TRANSITION (PLASTIC TO STEEL) FITTING TO THE PLASTIC PIPE. WE THEN WELD THE STEEL TO STEEL OR CONNECT THE STEEL TO STEEL WITH A COMPRESSION COUPLING. IF A COMPRESSION COUPLING IS USED, WE, IN ALL APPLICATIONS, SPOT WELD, ELECTRICALLY, A 3/4" STEEL STRAP FROM THE EXISTING STEEL MAIN TO THE STEEL PORTION OF THE TRANSITION FITTING, THUS PROVIDING A POSITIVE ANCHOR TO ELIMINATE EVERY LIKELIHOOD OF A JOINT SEPARATION. THE JOINT IS CATHODICALLY BONDED AND WRAPPED TO INSURE ITS LONGEVITY. WE HAVE CHECKED 99 PERCENT OF THE CONNECTIONS IN OUR SYSTEM COMPANY-WIDE ON PIPE SIZES ABOVE 1" TO INSURE THAT NO FURTHER PULLOUTS OCCUR.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1980-05-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence