NTSB Safety Recommendation P-78-033

NTSB safety recommendation P-78-033.

RECONSIDER ITS RESPONSES TO SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS P-76-44 AND P-76-45 IN LIGHT OF THIS AND OTHER ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITH PLASTIC PIPE AND "STANDARD" COMPRESSION COUPLINGS SINCE 1977. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1978-07-10

Adopted Date: 1978-07-05

Overall Date Closed: 1979-01-11

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: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1979-01-11

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1978-08-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: MTB LTR: THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS CITED, P-76-44 AND P-76-45, WERE REVIEWED BY THE MTB. THE MTB POSITION ON P-76-44 WAS NOT CHANGED, THEY FEEL A RULE CHANGE TO BE UNNECESSARY. HOWEVER, ASTM INSTALLATION CRITERIA SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN LATE 1978 AND MTB EXPECTS TO INCORPORATE THE CRITERIA INTO SUBPART J OF THE REGULATIONS. THE MTB POSITION ON P-76-45 WAS ALTERED AS A RESULT OF THEIR RECONSIDERATION. A STUDY WILL BE PERFORMED COVERING SELECTED GAS LEAK REPORTS SINCE 1972. CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO: SOIL CONDITION AND TEMPERATURE, DEPTH OF COVER, TYPE OF AREA, ADJACENT STRUCTURES, DISTANCE TO OTHER UTILITIES, ROADS, EXCAVATION ETC. IF IT IS FOUND THAT THERE ARE COMMON CONDITIONS EXISTING THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE THESE COUPLINGS, MTB WILL PROPOSE AMENDING 49 CFR 192 TO PROHIBIT THEIR USE IN SUCH A CONDITION OR LOCATION.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1979-01-11

Communication Type: Official Correspondence