NTSB Safety Recommendation P-83-019

NTSB safety recommendation P-83-019.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: NOTIFY THEIR MEMBER COMPANIES OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT IN BONICORD, TENNESSEE, ON DECEMBER 8, 1982, AND URGE THEM TO IDENTIFY COMPRESSOR STATION BUILDING VENTILATION SYSTEMS THAT HAVE RESTRICTIVE DEVICES, WHICH IF FULLY OR PARTIALLY CLOSED WOULD ALLOW ACCUMULATIONS OF GAS LEAKING FROM FACILITIES WITHIN THE BUILDING, AND INSTALL A GAS DETECTION SYSTEM THAT WILL DETECT AND ALERT EMPLOYEES TO HAZARDOUS GAS ACCUMULATIONS AND AUTOMATICALLY OPEN FULLY ALL RESTRICTIVE DEVICES WHEN ACCUMULATIONS OF GAS ARE DETECTED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1983-07-14

Adopted Date: 1983-06-30

Overall Date Closed: 1983-08-30

Synopsis: ON DECEMBER 8, 1982, A FIVE-MEMBER CREW OF THE TRUNKLINE GAS COMPANY FOUND TWO LEAKS IN THE GASKETED VALVE COVERS OF A 10,000-HORSEPOWER COOPER-BESSEMER ENGINE, WHICH WAS HOUSED IN COMPRESSOR BUILDING B AT THE GAS COMPANY'S BONICORD, TENNESEE, FACILITY. AFTER TIGHTENING THE BOLTS ON THE COVERS, THE CREW STARTED THE ENGINE AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS. AT THE TIME, ONE CREWMEMBER WAS ON THE NORTH SIDE PLATFORM, AND THE OTHER CREWMEMBERS WERE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE AT FLOOR LEVEL. ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINUTES LATER, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED, FOLLOWED BY A FLASH FIRE. ALL FIVE CREWMEMBERS WERE INJURED SERIOUSLY, BUT WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE BUILDING. ONE CREWMEMBER DIED LATER THAT DAY, AND TWO OTHERS DIED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE BUILDING WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Hazmat

Ntsbnumber: DCA83FP007

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-08-30

Addressee Name: Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-08-30

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-07-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN LETTER: THE MEMORANDUM TO INGAA'S MEMBERSHIP NOTIFIES THEM OF NTSB'S RECOMMENDATION P-83-019.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-08-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence