NTSB Safety Recommendation Letter P-73-001

Page 1Official PDFi' I , : , i - . i I , , -/-- , . 1 ' ,',. '/ ,;: ~/ UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TATION SAFETY WASHINGTON, D.C. ISS')ED: A p r i l 19, 1973 Adopted by t h e N A T I O N A L TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD a t its o f f i c e i n Washington, D. C. on the 4th day Of A p r i l 1973 SAFETY RECOMMENDATION p-73-1 During t h e 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 B o a r d ' s p r e l i m i n a r y i n v e s t i g a - t i o n of a gas p i p e l i n e a c c i d e n t a t the i n t e r s e c t i o n of Sycamore and Main S t r e e t s i n Adamsville, Alabama, on February 7 , 1973, t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a b r o a d e r haz- a r d became a p p a r e n t . I n t h i s a c c i d e n t , an e x p l o s i o n which k i l l e d t h r e e persons and i n j u r e d two others, occurred i n a s t o r e and a t t a c h e d apartment. A 2-inch cast i r o n main n e a r t h e b u i l d i n g , which had been o p e r a t e d a t 17 p.s.i.g., w a s found t o be cracked c i r c u m f e r e n t i a l l y . The d i s t r i b u t i o n system is o p e r a t e d by t h e G r a y s v i l l e Municipal Gas System, and t h e cast i r o n p i p i n g was r e p o r t e d l y i n - s t a l l e d i n 1949-1950. S i m i l a r a c c i d e n t s of t h i s t y p e a l s o occurred i n Adamsville on November 12, 1972, and on February 15, 1973. On November 12, a n e x p l o s i o n and f i r e , which k i l l e d one person, i n j u r e d two o t h e r s , and d e s t r o y e d t h e b u i l d i n g , occurred i n f r o n t of a church a t 4929 Main S t r e e t . A 4-inch cast i r o n gas main was found t o be cracked, The February 15 a c c i d e n t a l s o involved a cracked 2-inch c a s t i r o n g a s m a i n i n f r o n t of a church n e a r t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f Adam8 Avenue and Xountain S t r e e t . T h i s b r e a k was r e p a i r e d w i t h o u t mishap. Based recommends on t h e t h a t foregoing t h e O f f i c e f a c t s of t h e P i p e l i n e N a t i o n a l S a f e t y : T r a n s p o r t a t i o n S a f e t y Board 1060 7 2 ~ 0#

Page 2Take the necessary steps to determine whether there is a continuing hazard in the gas distributdo system in Adamsville, within the meaning of Section 3(b) of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 which states in part, I' . . Whenever the Secret shall find a particular f life or property, he shal person operating such facility to take such step necessary to remove such hazards." This recommendation will be released to the public on the date shown above. No public dissemination of the contents of document should be made public prior to that date. Reed, Chairman, Thayer, Burgess, an above recommendation. McAdams, Member,#