NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-016

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-016.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: ENCOURAGE YOUR MEMBERS TO MODIFY THE INFO IN THE ANNUAL MAILINGS OF THEIR 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: 1995-08-01

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: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-08-01

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-06-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: OUR REGULATORY RESPONSE COMMITTEE- PIPELINE SAFETY HAS REVIEWED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS THE COMPLETE INVESTIGATION REPORT PREPARED BY NTSB & CONCURS WITH THE INTENT OF NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS. WE URGE YOU TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PUBLIC EDUCATION INFO WHICH YOU MAIL TO PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG YOUR PIPELINES THAT YOU URGE THE OWNERS TO FURTHER DISSEMINATE THIS INFO TO THEIR TENANTS & EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE OR WORK ADJACET TO YOUR PIPELINES.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-08-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THE AGA HAS URGED ITS MEMBERS TO ASK PROPERTY OWNERS TO DISTRIBUTE PUBLIC EDUCATION INFO TO TENANTS & EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE OR WORK NEAR HIGH-PRESURE PIPELINES. P-95-16 HAS THEREFORE BEEN CLASSIFEID "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."