NTSB Safety Recommendation P-78-029

NTSB safety recommendation P-78-029.

DESIGNATE EMERGENCY SHUTOFF VALVES ON SYSTEM MAPS AND PROVIDE THESE MAPS TO PERSONNEL ON EMERGENCY CALL STATUS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1978-07-19

Adopted Date: 1978-07-05

Overall Date Closed: 1983-11-29

Synopsis: ON DECEMBER 15, 1977, A 2-INCH PLASTIC GAS MAIN UNDER AN ALLEY IN DOWNTOWN LAWRENCE, KANSAS, PULLED OUT OF A COMPRESSION COUPLING WHICH JOINED IT TO A STEEL GAS MAIN. NATURAL GAS ESCAPED FROM THE MAIN AND MIGRATED THROUGH THE STONE FOUNDATION WALLS OF TWO NEARBY BUILDINGS. THE ACCUMULATIONS OF GAS IN THE TWO BUILDINGS IGNITED. THE RESULTING EXPLOSION AND FIRE DESTROYED ONE BUILDING, SEVERELY DAMAGED THE OTHER BUILDING, AND BROKE NEARBY WINDOWS. TWO PERSONS WERE KILLED AND THREE PERSONS WERE INJURED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA78MP005

Report Number: PAR-78-04

Addressee Name: Kansas Public Service Company, Inc.

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-11-29

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-04-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: KANSAS PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY LTR: SEVEN VEHICLES, EITHER ON NORMAL DAILY ROUTINE OR EMERGENCY CALL, CARRY SYSTEM MAPS WITH SHUTOFF VALVES AND LARGE REGULATOR LOCATIONS SHOWN ON EACH - FIVE OF THESE VEHICLES ALSO CARRY SEPARATE DETAILED INFORMATION ON LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION FOR EACH VALVE AND REGULATOR FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM MAPS HAVE BEEN CARRIED IN THE VEHICLES FOR EIGHT YEARS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-09-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: KANSAS PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY LETTER: IN YOUR RESPONSE, A REQUEST WAS MADE TO REVIEW OUR POSITION AS TO THE NUMBER OF EMERGENCY CALL VEHICLES THAT WERE TO CARRY SHUTOFF VALVE LOCATIONS. WE HAVE NOW SEVENTEEN VEHICLES THAT HAVE BOTH SYSTEM WIDE MAPS INDICATING LINE LOCATIONS AND ALSO THE BOOKS CONTAINING THE LOCATION OF EVERY EMERGENCY SHUTOFF VALVE IN OUR LINES. WE DO FEEL THAT WE CAN COVER OUR SYSTEM ADEQUATELY.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1978-12-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-08-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-11-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence