NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-001

NTSB safety recommendation P-81-001.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE UNION LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY: IMPROVE COMPANY PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFYING ALL SERVICE LINES CONNECTED TO NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS TO BE UPRATED, AND INCLUDE IN AREAS WHERE THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE GAS MAIN THE PROCEDURE OF TESTING PIPELINES BY PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL, WHICH WILL LOCATE THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO CANNOT BE LOCATED BY ROUTINE PROCEDURES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1981-05-13

Adopted Date: 1981-04-28

Overall Date Closed: 1983-02-02

Synopsis: ON OCTOBER 9, 1980, A 2-INCH-DIAMETER COMPRESSION COUPLING LOCATED ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE OF A GAS METER SET ASSEMBLY IN THE BOILERROOM OF THE SIMON KENTON HIGH SCHOOL IN INDEPENDENCE, KENTUCKY, PULLED OUT OF ITS CONNECTION WITH A 2-INCH-DIAMETER GAS SERVICE LINE. NATURAL GAS AT 165-PSIG PRESSURE ESCAPED THROUGH THE 2-INCH-DIAMETER OPENING AND, SECONDS LATER, EXPLODED AND BURNED. A BASEMENT WALL WAS BLOWN DOWN, AN ADJACENT CLASSROOM WAS DAMAGED, AND ONE STUDENT WAS KILLED. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER, A SECOND EXPLOSION OCCURED, WHICH INJURED 37 PERSONS AND EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED THE SHCOOL. THE GAS SERVICE LINE WAS CONNECTED TO A 4-INCH-DIAMETER GAS MAIN OWNED BY THE UNION LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY (GAS COMPANY), A SUBSIDIARY OF THE CINCINNATI GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, WHICH WAS UPRATING THE GAS MAIN BY CONTROLLED PRESSURE INCREASES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Ntsbnumber: DCA81AP001

Report Number: PAR-81-01

Addressee Name: Union Light, Heat and Power Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-02-02

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: UNION LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY LTR: UNION LIGHT HAS VERIFIED BY FIELD INVESTIGATION ALL SERVICE CONNECTION RECORDS FOR LOCATIONS WHERE GAS MAINS OPERATING OVER 60 PSIG ARE IN THE PROXIMITY OF OTHER GAS MAINS OPERATING AT 60 PSIG OR LESS. THE WORK WAS STARTED APRIL 20, 1981, AND COMPLETED JULY 15, 1981. THE FIELD VERIFICATION INCLUDED TESTING BY PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL FOR CUSTOMERS WHOSE SERVICE LINE DID NOT HAVE A PRIMARY REGULATOR. UNION LIGHT HAS INCLUDED IN ITS UPRATING PROCEDURES PROVISION TO ASSURE THAT PHYSICAL FIELD DETERMINATION, BY EXCAVATION OR PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL TESTING, WILL BE PERFORMED FOR FUTURE UPRATINGS IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS MORE THAN ONE GAS MAIN.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-02-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence