NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-008

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-008.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION: DEVELOP, IN COORDINATION WITH THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, THE INTERNATIONAL CITY/COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, & THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, MODEL PROGRAMS & STATUTES &/OR GUIDELINES FOR LOCAL & STATE GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY'S STUDY ON ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY NEAR HIGH-PRESSURE PIPLINES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action - No Response Received

Issued Date: 1995-02-07

Adopted Date: 1995-01-18

Overall Date Closed: 2001-02-26

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: American Public Works Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action - No Response Received

Addressee Date Closed: 2001-02-26

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-02-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On June 7, 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board sent the American Public Works Association (APWA) a letter requesting information on the status of safety recommendations about which we have never received a response. As noted in the Safety Board’s letter of March 12, 1998, APWA and Safety Board staff met to discuss the 1997 recommendations with the expectation that an APWA follow-on response would be forthcoming. As there has never been a response from APWA to the Board’s June 7, 2000, letter on any of these issues, Safety Recommendations P-95-8 and -9, and P-97-25 through -33, are classified "Closed--Unacceptable Action, No Response Received."

Addressee Acronym: APWA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2000-06-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: TO DATE, THE SAFETY BOARD HAS RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM APWA AND WOULD APPRECIATE BEING INFORMED ABOUT EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN OR ARE BEING MADE TO IMPLEMENT THESE SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS.