NTSB Safety Recommendation Letter P-71-005

Page 1Official PDFISSUED: A p r i l 27, 1971 Adopted by t h e N A T I O N A L TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD a t i t s office i n Washington, D . C . on t h e 7th day of A p r i l , 1971. (second r e v i s i o n ) SAFETY RECOMMENDAT I ON P-71-5 Two r e c e n t gas e x p l o s i o n s d r a m a t i z e t h e need f o r r e g u l a t i o n s t o nrevent the occurrence of c a t a s t r o p h i c a c c i d e n t s which r e s u l t from t h e u n a u t h o r i z e d o p e r a t i o n of v a l v e s by persons o t h e r than u t i l i t y company employees. I n t h e f i r s t , 1 2 people were k i l l e d and more than 60 i n j u r e d when a r e s t a u r a n t owner i n New Yorlc C i t y , on December 11, 1970, a l l e g e d l y opened a s h u t o f f v a l v e l o c a t e d o u t s i d e i n t h e street, allowing gas t o flow through unconnected house p i p i n g i n t o t h e b u i l d i n g where t h e g a s exploded. I n the second c a s e , s i m i l a r circumstances e x i s t e d . On January 4 , 1970, i n Miami Beach, F l o r i d a , t h e new owner of a r e s t a u r a n t r e p o r t e d l y opened t h e v a l v e a t t h e g a s meter behind the b u i l d i n g which s u p p l i e d h i s premises. The meter v a l v e had been t u r n e d o f f by t h e g a s u t i l i t y a t t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e o l d owner. When t h e g a s v a l v e f o r the r e s t a u r a n t was turned o n g the valves o f t h e t w o o t h e r meters l o c a t e d behind the b u i l d i n g were also opened. The g a s l i n e s l e a d i n g from one o f t h e o t h e r meters had been disconnected p r e v i o u s l y , b u t were n o t capped. When t h e v a l v e f o r t h i s meter v a s opened, it allowed gas t o flow i n t o t h e b u i l d i n g . An e x p l o s i o n r e s u l t e d which k i l l e d one person and in,jured 34 o t h e r s . The i n f o r m a t i o n concerning t h e New York a c c i d e n t was s u p p l i e d by t h e New Yorlc C i t y F i r e Department, w h i l e t h e f a c t s on t h e Pliami Beach c a s e were provided by t h e O f f i c e of P i p e l i n e S a f e t y . Both of these c a s e s p o i n t up the need f o r F e d e r a l r e g u l a t i o n s t o p r o h i b i t t h e e x i s t e n c e of r i s k s t h a t can r e s u l t i n t h i s t y p e of a c c i d e n t .#

Page 2- 2 - Devices and procedures a r e i n use by a number OL u t i l i t i e s t o redu such r i s k s . I n view o f the foregoing, the N a t i o n a l T r a n s p o r t a t i o n S a f e t y Board recommends t h a t : of The Department t e n d t o p r e v e n t r e s u l t from t h e o t h e r t h a n u t i l i t y T r a n s p o r t a t i o n i s s u e r e g u l a t i o n s which will t h e o c c u r r e n c e 01 c a t a s t r o p h i c a c c i d e n t s which o n a u t h o r i z e d o p e r a t i o n of v a l v e s by persons company employees. T h i s recommendation will b e r e l e a s e d t o t h e p u b l i c on the i s s u e d a t e shown above. No p u b l i c d i s s e m i n a t i o n of t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h i s document should b e made p r i o r t o t h a t d a t e . Reed, Chairman; L a u r e l , McAdams, Thayer, and Burgess, Members, concurred i n the above recommendation. d By: F o h n H. Reed Chairman#