NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-006

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-006.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION CORPORATION: REQUIRE PILOTS TO DOCUMENT ALL PATROL OBSERVATIONS OF EXCAVATION ACTIVITY ADJACENT TO YOUR PIPELINES, NOTING SEPCIFICALLY EXCAVATION ACTIVITIES WITHIN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES, & REQUIRE THAT THE PILOT'S REPORT BE ATTACHED OR REFERENCED IN CORRELATIVE REPORTS DOCUMENTING ANY RESPONSE TAKEN.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-02-07

Adopted Date: 1995-01-18

Overall Date Closed: 1995-07-03

Synopsis: ABOUT 11:55 ON 3/23/94, A 36-INCH DIAMETER PIPELINE OWNED & OPERATED BY TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION CORPORTION (TETCO) RUPTURED CATASTROPHICALLY IN EDISON TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY, WITHIN AN ASPHALT PLANT COMPOUND. THE FORCE OF THE RUPTURE & OF NATURAL GAS ESCAPING AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 970 PSIG (POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GUAGE) EXCAVATED THE SOIL AROUND THE PIPE & BLEW GAS HUNDREDS OF FEET INTO THE AIR, PROPELLING PIPE FRAGMENTS, ROCKS, & DEBRIS MORE THAN 800 FEET. WITHIN 1 TO 2 MINUTES OF THE RUPTURE, ONE OF SEVERAL POSSIBLE SOURCES IGNITED THE ESCAPING GAS, SENDING FLAMES UPWARD 400 TO 500 FEET IN THE AIR. HEAT RADIATING FROM THE MASSIVE FIRE IGNITED THE ROOFS OF SEVERAL BUILDING ROOFS IN A NEARBY APARTMENT COMPLEX. OCCUPANTS, ALERTED TO THE EMERGENCY BY NOISES FROM ESCAPING GAS & ROCKS HITTING THE ROOFS, FLED FROM THE BURNING BUILDINGS. APPROXIMATELY 1,500 APARTMENT RESIDENTS WERE EVACUATED. MIRACULOUSLY, NO DEATHS DIRECTLY RESULTED FROM THE RUPTURE & RESULTING FIRE. MOST INJURIES WERE MINOR FOOT BURNS & CUTS THAT THE APARTMENT RESIDENTS SUSTAINED FROM THE HOT PAVEMENT & GLASS SHARDS AS THEY FLED THE COMPLEX. DAMAGE FROM THE ACCIDENT EXCEEDED &25 MILLION.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA94MP001

Report Number: PAR-95-01

Addressee Name: Texas Eastern Gas Pipeline Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-07-03

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-07-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT TEXAS EASTERN HAS MODIFIED ITS PROCEDURES TO INCORPORATE THIS RECOMMENDATION. THE BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE RECEIVING A COPY OF THE REVISED PROCEDURES. P-95-6 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-04-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: TEXAS EASTERN'S PROCEDURES TO INCORPORATE THIS RECOMMENDATION. TEXAS EASTERN'S PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO SPECIFICALLY NOTE ACTIVITIES WITHIN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES, & REQUIRE THAT THE PILOT'S REPORT BE REFERENCED IN CORRELATIVE REPORTS DOCUMENTING ANY RESPONSE TAKEN.