NTSB Safety Recommendation P-85-014

NTSB safety recommendation P-85-014.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SOUTHWEST GAS CORPORATION, AS SUCCESSOR TO THE ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY: ESTABLISH FAILURE ANALYSIS PROCEDURES IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMPUTERIZING ITS LEAK REPORT SYSTEM, TO MORE RAPIDLY DETECT AND CORRECT GAS DISTRIBUTION PIPING PROBLEMS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1985-07-01

Adopted Date: 1985-06-12

Overall Date Closed: 1989-05-12

Synopsis: AT 3:30 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1984, AN EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY AN INTENSE NATURAL GASFED FIRE DESTROYED TWO APARTMENTS AT 3022 NORTH 37TH STREET IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA. OF THE 12 PERSONS INJURED IN THE FIRE, 5 PERSONS LATER DIED. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE 1 1/4-INCH-DIAMETER PLASTIC GAS MAIN SUPPLYING GAS TO THE DESTROYED APARTMENTS WAS EXCAVATED AND A 3-INCH-LONG LONGITUDINAL SPLIT WAS DISCOVERED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE 18 FEET FROM THE GAS METERS ON THE APARTMENT BUILDING. GAS AT 30 PSIG HAD ESCAPED THROUGH THE LONGITUDINAL SPLIT, MIGRATED INTO AND UNDER THE APARTMENTS, IGNITED, EXPLODED, AND BURNED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA84AP026

Report Number: PAR-85-01

Addressee Name: Southwest Gas Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1989-05-12

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-01-16

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: 1984 WE BEGAN DEVELOPING A COMPUTERIZED LEAK REPORTING SYSTEM THAT IS USED TO ANALYZE, IDENTIFY AND RETRIEVE DATA TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL MATERIAL PROBLEMS. THE SYSTEM BECAME FUNCTIONAL IN EARLY 1985 AND COVERS THE COMPLETE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM REGARDLESS OF MATERIAL. P-85-14 THE LEAK REPORTING SYSTEM OUTLINED IN RECOMMENDATION P-85-13 ALSO CONTAINS THE COMPLETE INFORMATION ON THE LEAK, THE SYSTEM MATERIAL AND SYSTEM REPAIRS WHICH PROVIDES THE DATA BASE TO DO THE COMPLETE FAILURE ANALYSIS PROCEDURE IN THE ABS ALONG WITH THE BALANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-05-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-10-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence