NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-022

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-022.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION: COOPERATE WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION ON DEVELOPING MODEL PROGRAMS & STATUTES &/OR GUIDELINES TO AID 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: 2002-08-26

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 Planning Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2002-08-26

Addressee Acronym: APA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-04-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The Safety Board has not received a response to either recommendation and we would appreciate learning what action has been taken, or planned, to implement Safety Recommendations P-95-22 and -23. 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: APA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2002-08-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On April 9, 2001, the Safety Board requested information on action that the APA had taken to implement Safety Recommendations P-95-22 and -23. Although no response was received, the Safety Board is aware that the APA participated on a committee with APWA to develop guidelines. A companion safety recommendation to APWA, P-95-24, was classified "Closed--Acceptable Action" on July 20, 1998. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation P-95-22 is also classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."