# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-97-010 - **operation:** document - **citation:** P-97-010 - **title:** NTSB Safety Recommendation P-97-010 - **source type:** guidance - **agency:** National Transportation Safety Board - **status:** guidance - **official:** true - **published on:** 1998-01-06 - **effective on:** 1998-01-06 - **summary:** THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION: REQUIRE THAT SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY, INC., TAKE ACTION NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT ABANDONED PIPELINES ARE PROPERLY DISCONNECTED, PURGED OF PROPANE, & ADEQUATELY SECURED TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS & GASES, & TO ENSURE THAT ABANDONED PIPELINES ARE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED ON MAPS. - **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-97-010.json - **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-97-010.md - **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-97-010 - **source url:** https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-97-010 **body:** NTSB safety recommendation P-97-010. THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE PUERTO RICO PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION: REQUIRE THAT SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY, INC., TAKE ACTION NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT ABANDONED PIPELINES ARE PROPERLY DISCONNECTED, PURGED OF PROPANE, & ADEQUATELY SECURED TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF FLAMMABLE VAPORS & GASES, & TO 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: 1998-07-23 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: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Public Service Commission Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action Addressee Date Closed: 1998-07-23 Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1998-05-15 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: (Letter Mail Controlled 5/18/98 3:34:13 PM MC# 980637) P-97-10 WAS ACCOMPLISHED PRIOR TO RECEIVING YOUR COMMUNICATION. SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY'S OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE MANUAL PROVIDES THE PROCEDURE FOR THE DISCONNECTION PURGING & PLUGGING OF ABANDONED OR DEACTIVATED PIPELINE FURTHERMORE, SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY AGREED WITH THE PCS THAT ALL DEACTIVATED PIPELINES WOULD BE PLUGGED USING BOTH EXPANSION PLUGS, FOAM, PLASTIC CAPS OR PLASTIC TAGS. Addressee Acronym: CSP Addressee Organization Type: L-Local Government Communication Date: 1998-07-23 Communication Type: Official Correspondence Communication Contents: THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT ATHE SAN JUAN GAS COMPANY OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE MANUAL PROVIDES PROCEDURES FOR THE DISCONNECTION, PURGING, & PLUGGING OF ABANDONED OR DEACTIVATED PIPELINES & THAT ALL DEACTIVATED PIPELINES ARE TO BE PLUGGED USING EXPANSION PLUGS, FOAM, PLASTIC CAPS, OR PLASTIC TAGS. ACCORDINGLY, P-97-10 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION." - **truncated:** false - **body characters:** 3293