NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-007

NTSB safety recommendation P-81-007.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE UNION LIGHT, HEAT AND POWER COMPANY: INSTITUTE QUALITY CONTROLS TO INCREASE THE ACCURACY OF COMPANY RECORDS, INCLUDING VERIFICATION OF FIELD REPORTS AND OF WRITTEN RECORDS AND MAPS TRANSFERRED TO COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.

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Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable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: ON MAY 1, 1982, UNION LIGHT IMPLEMENTED ITS NEWLY FORMED QUALITY ASSURANCE DIVISION WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEVELOPING AND ADMINISTERING A QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM FOR ALL GAS OPERATIONS INCLUDING ACCURACY OF RECORDS, VERIFICATION OF FIELD REPORTS, AND TRANSFERRAL OF INFORMATION TO COMPUTERIZED RECORDS. THE DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE HAS AUTHORITY OF INDEPENDENT REPORTING TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF GAS OPERATIONS. ACCURACY OF RECORD DATA INPUT TO THE COMPUTER IS VERIFIED BY CHECKING A PRINTOUT SAMPLE AGAINST INPUT DOCUMENTS. ALSO SEE RESPONSES TO P-81-1 AND P-81-3.

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