NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-007

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-007.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION CORPORATION: MODIFY THE INFORMATION IN THE ANNUAL MAILINGS OF YOUR PUBLIC EDUCATION PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE RECIPIENTS TO DISSEMINATE THE PIPELINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO THEIR TENANTS & EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE & WORK ON PROPERTY ADJACENT TO HIGH-PRESSURE PIPELINES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-02-07

Adopted Date: 1995-01-18

Overall Date Closed: 1996-07-19

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

Keywords: Training and Education, Public Education (Pipeline)

Ntsbnumber: DCA94MP001

Report Number: PAR-95-01

Addressee Name: Texas Eastern Gas Pipeline Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1996-07-19

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-07-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: P-95-7 ASKED TEXAS EASTERN TO MODIFY THE INFO IN ITS ANNUAL MAILINGS OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE RECIPIENTS TO DISSEMINATE THE PIPELINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO ANY TENANTS OR EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE OR WORK ON PROPERTY ADJACENT TO HIGH-RESSURE PIPELINES. WE NOTE THAT TEXAS EASTERN HAS BEGUN MODIFYING ITS PROGRAM. PENDING COMPLETION OF THESE MODIFICATIONS P-95-7 IS CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE." THE BOARD ALSO BELIEVES THAT LEGISLATION REQUIRING DISSEMINATION OF PIPELINE SAFETY INFO BY RENTAL PROPERTY & BUSINESS MANAGEMENTS TO TENANTS & EMPLOYEES MAY FURTHER THE INTERESTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THE BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE BEING ADVISED OF ANY SUCCESS TEXAS EASTERN HAS IN PROMOTING SUCH LEGISLATION.

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1996-07-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT YOUR PROGRAM COULD BENEFIT OTHER GAS TRANSMISSION & LIQUID PIPELINE OPERATORS. WE THEREFORE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE INFO ABOUT IT WITH THEM SO THAT THEY TOO CAN IMPROVE SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THOSE WHO RESIDE OR WORK ADJACENT TO PIPELINES. BECAUSE OF THE ACTION TEXAS EASTERN HAS TAKEN TO MODIFY ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION SAFETY PROGRAM, P-95-7 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 IS IN THE PROCESS OF MODIFYING ITS CURRENT PUBLIC EDUCATION PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAM. TEXAS EASTERN'S NEW PROGRAM WILL EXPRESSLY ENCOURGE THE MANAGEMENT OF RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT DWELLING & BUSINESS TO DISSEMINATE PIPELINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO THEIR TENANTS & EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE & WORK ON PROPERTY ADJACENT TO OUR HIGH-PRESSURE PIPELINES. THESE MODIFICAITONS WILL IMPLEMENTED DURING THE 1995 LANDOWNER NOIFICATION PROGRAM.

Addressee Acronym: TETCo

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1996-04-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: TEXAS EASTERN HAS NOW COMPLETED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOLLOWING PLANS & PROCEDURES WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE CLOSURE TO THE NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS P-95-5, P-95-6 & P-95-7. TEXAS EASTERN HAS ENHANCED ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAM TO MEET THIS NTSB RECOMMENDATION. THE TEXAS EASTERN PROGRAM ENCOURAGES THE MANAGEMENT OF APARTMENTS & BUSINESSES TO DISSEMINATE PIPELINE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS TO THEIR TENANTS & EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE & WORK ON PROPERLY ADJACENT TO OUR HIGH-PRESSURE PIEPLINES.