# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-021 - **operation:** document - **citation:** P-81-021 - **title:** NTSB Safety Recommendation P-81-021 - **source type:** guidance - **agency:** National Transportation Safety Board - **status:** guidance - **official:** true - **published on:** 1981-08-03 - **effective on:** 1981-08-03 - **summary:** THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE MISSOURI POWER & LIGHT COMPANY: REVIEW COMPANY RECORDS AND MAPS TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS WHERE COMPRESSION COUPLINGS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON UNRESTRAINED PLASTIC PIPE OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH THAT THERMAL CONTRACTION COULD CAUSE SEPARATION FROM THE COUPLINGS AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS NECESSARY TO PREVENT SUCH SEPARATIONS. - **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-81-021.json - **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-81-021.md - **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-81-021 - **source url:** https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-81-021 **body:** NTSB safety recommendation P-81-021. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE MISSOURI POWER & LIGHT COMPANY: REVIEW COMPANY RECORDS AND MAPS TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS WHERE COMPRESSION COUPLINGS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON UNRESTRAINED PLASTIC PIPE OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH THAT THERMAL CONTRACTION COULD CAUSE SEPARATION FROM THE COUPLINGS AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS NECESSARY TO PREVENT SUCH SEPARATIONS. Priority: CLASS II Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Issued Date: 1981-08-03 Adopted Date: 1981-07-24 Overall Date Closed: 1982-12-30 Synopsis: ON JANUARY 8, 1981, A 2-INCH-DIAMETER PLASTIC GAS MAIN PULLED APART AT A COMPRESSION COUPLING UNDER AN ALLEY IN DOWNTOWN MEXICO, MISSOURI. NATURAL GAS AT 43-PSIG PRESSURE ESCAPED AND MIGRATED THROUGH A SANITARY SEWER INTO A NEARBY BUILDING WHERE IT WAS IGNITED BY AN UNDETERMINED SOURCE AT APPROXIMATELY 10:25 P.M. THE EXPLOSION AND FIRE DESTROYED A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, SEVERELY DAMAGED AN ADJACENT BUILDING, BROKE NEARBY WINDOWS, AND DAMAGED SEVERAL VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO FATALITIES; HOWEVER, THREE FIREFIGHTERS WERE INJURED WHILE FIGHTING THE FIRE. Ntsbnumber: FTW81FP005 Report Number: None Addressee Name: Missouri Power and Light Company Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable Addressee Date Closed: 1982-12-30 Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1982-10-12 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: MISSOURI POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY LETTER: WITH REGARD TO P-81-21, ON REVIEWING RECORDS AND MAPS TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS OF UNRESTRAINED PLASTIC PIPE, SUCH A REVIEW WAS CARRIED OUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT IN MEXICO AND WE BELIEVE WE HAVE LOCATED ALL SUCH AREAS AND INSTALLED APPROPRIATE RESTRAINTS. Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1982-12-30 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry Communication Date: 1982-10-08 Communication Type: Official Correspondence - **truncated:** false - **body characters:** 1982