# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-003 - **operation:** document - **citation:** P-81-003 - **title:** NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-003 - **source type:** guidance - **agency:** National Transportation Safety Board - **status:** guidance - **official:** true - **published on:** 1981-05-13 - **effective on:** 1981-05-13 - **summary:** THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE UNION LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY: INCORPORATE A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT FOR CURB BOX INSPECTIONS IN THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL GAS METER/REGULATOR INSPECTIONS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE KENTUCKY ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION REGULATIONS. - **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-81-003.json - **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-81-003.md - **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-81-003 - **source url:** https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-81-003 **body:** NTSB safety recommendation P-81-003. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE UNION LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY: INCORPORATE A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT FOR CURB BOX INSPECTIONS IN THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL GAS METER/REGULATOR INSPECTIONS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE KENTUCKY ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION REGULATIONS. 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DCA81AP001 Report Number: PAR-81-01 Addressee Name: Union Light, Heat and Power Company Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable Addressee Date Closed: 1983-02-02 Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1982-10-25 Communication Type: Official Correspondence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'S PROGRAM FOR SERVICE COCK/VALUE ACCESSIBILITY, OPERABILITY AND RECORDS CHECK IS NOW AS FOLLOWS: (1) PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS OF ALL SERVICE COCK/VALVE BOXES FOR ACCESSIBILITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. (2) OPERABILITY CHECK OF SERVICE COCK/VALVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY METER CHANGE. (3) CONTINUING FIELD CHECK OF SERVICE COCK/VALVE BOX LOCATION RECORDS ON A FREQUENCY NOT TO EXCEED 10 YEARS. UNION LIGHT INITIATED ITS ANNUAL ACCESSIBILITY INSPECTIONS OF ALL SERVICE COCK/VALVE BOX INSTALLATIONS IN THE EARLY 1970'S OF ALL SERVICES OF RECORD. APPROXIMATELY 58,000 WERE INSPECTED IN 1981. 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 - **truncated:** false - **body characters:** 2542