NTSB Safety Recommendation P-97-008

NTSB safety recommendation P-97-008.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE RSPA: REQUIRE THAT SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY. INC., TAKE ACTION NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT ABONDONED PIPELINES ARE PROPERLY DISCONNECTED. PURGED TO PROPANE, ADEQUATELY SECURED TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS & GASES, & ENSURE THAT ABANDONED PIPELINES ARE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED ON MAPS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1998-01-06

Adopted Date: 1997-12-23

Overall Date Closed: 2002-09-09

Synopsis: ABOUT 8:30 A.M. ON 11/21/96, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE HUMBERTO VIDAL SHOE STORE AND OFFICE BUILDING AT 100 JOSE DE DIEGO CALLE IN RIO PIEDRAS, PUERTO RICO. LOCAL EMERGENCY AGENCIES RESPONDED AND INITIATED SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS, BY 12/5/96 30 FATALITIES HAD BEEN CONFIRMED, AND 5 PEOPLE, BELIEVED TO STILL BE IN THE BUILDING RUINS, WERE MISSING. LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE SUSPENDED SEARCH EFFORTS UNTIL THE BUILDING CAN BE MADE SAFE FOR RESCUE WORKERS.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the propane gas explosion, fueled by an excavationcaused gas leak, in the basement of the Humberto Vidal, Inc., office building was the failure of San Juan Gas Company, Inc., (1) to oversee its employees’ actions to ensure timely identification and correction of unsafe conditions and strict adherence to operating practices and (2) to provide adequate training to employees. Also contributing to the explosion was (1) the failure of the Research and Special Programs Administration/Office of Pipeline Safety to oversee effectively the pipeline safety program in Puerto Rico, (2) the failure of the Puerto Rico Public Service Commission to require San Juan Gas Company, Inc., to correct identified safety deficiencies, and (3) the failure of Enron Corp. to oversee adequately the operation of San Juan Gas Company, Inc.

Ntsbnumber: DCA97MP004

Report Number: PAR-97-01

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2002-09-09

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2000-07-13

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ON 2/19/99, BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE RSPA LETTER OF 7/8/98, P-97-8 WAS CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE." COPIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS P-87-34, P-90-21, P-95-4, P-96-1, P-97-6, P-97-7, P-97-8, P-98-1, P-98-2, P-98-3, P-98-4, P-98-5, AND P-98-25 AND ASSOCIATED CORRESPONDENCE ARE ENCLOSED. THE SAFETY BOARD WOULD APPRECIATE LEARNING OF ANY ACTION TAKEN OR PLANNED TO COMPLY WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY P-97-7 AND -8, WHICH MAY BE DISCUSSED AT A BOARD MEETING.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2002-09-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: At our meeting, your staff also advised that actions by the San Juan Gas Company, Inc., to ensure (1) that abandoned pipelines are properly disconnected, purged of propane, and adequately secured to prevent the transmission of flammable vapors and gases, and (2) that abandoned pipelines are properly identified on maps, was completed in 1999. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation P-97-8 is classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1999-02-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD NOTES THAT THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY ARE REQUIRING THE SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY TO COMPLY WITH APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES IN ABANDONING THE PIPELINE AND ARE MONITORING TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. THE BOARD ALSO NOTES THAT THE PROCESS IS APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT COMPLETE. PENDING COMPLETION, P-97-8 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2002-09-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 09/17/2002 1:06:57 PM MC# 2020822

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1998-07-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 7/14/98 3:05:56 PM MC# 980875 SAN JUAN GAS HAS SUBMITTED AND RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO ABANDON APPROXIMATELY NINETY PERCENT (90%) OF THE EXISTING 220 MILE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND TO UPRATE THE REMAINDER OF THE SYSTEM. THIS PROGRAM IS 80% COMPLETE AND IS BEING CLOSELY MONITORED BY OUR AGENT THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO ENSURE PROPER ABANDONMENT PROCEDURES ARE BEING FOLLOWED. THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, WHICH IS PROVIDING RSPA WITH PERIODIC UPDATES ON THE ABANDONMENT PROCESS, WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE COMPLIANCE ACTION IF SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS ON ABANDOM-NENT OF PIPELINES. RSPA WILL REVIEW THE STATE PROGRAM'S OVERSIGHT OF THIS PROJECT DURING THE ANNUAL EVALUATION PROCESS. RSPA BELIEVES THE DESCRIBED OVERSIGHT PROCESS FULLY ADDRESSES P-97-8.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2002-07-11

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: RSPA Administrator reported that activity to ensure Enron/San Juan Gas Company had properly abandoned pipeline system was completed in 1999. RSPA Administrator requests P-97-8 be classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."