NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-020

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-020.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL CITY/COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION: COOPERATE WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION ON DEVELOPING 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 PIPELINES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-02-07

Adopted Date: 1995-01-18

Overall Date Closed: 2002-01-03

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: International City and County Management Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2002-01-03

Addressee Acronym: ICCMA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-04-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The Safety Board would appreciate learning what action has been taken, or planned, to implement Safety Recommendations P-95-20 and -21. Please address your response to Ms. Carol J. Carmody, Acting Chairman, citing the recommendation numbers above. A copy of the recommendation letter is enclosed.

Addressee Acronym: ICCMA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2002-01-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On April 9, 2001, the Safety Board requested information on action that the ICMA had taken to implement Safety Recommendations P-95-20 and -21. To date, the Safety Board has received no information from ICMA on either recommendation. The Safety Board is aware, however, that ICMA assisted APWA in developing model programs, statutes, and/or guidelines, as requested. A companion safety recommendation to APWA, P-95-24, was classified "Closed--Acceptable Action," on July 20, 1998. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation P-95-20 is also classified "Closed--Acceptable Action." Because there has never been a response from ICMA concerning Safety Recommendation P-95-21, this recommendation is classified "Closed--Unacceptable Action/No Response Received." If ICMA has acted on the recommendation and provides the Safety Board with details, the Board will evaluate ICMA's action and may reclassify Safety Recommendation P-95-21.