NTSB Safety Recommendation Letter P-76-063 through P-76-064

Page 1Official PDFWASHINGTON, D.C. I S S U E D : August 11, 1976 Manager Lehish U t i l i t i e s , Inc. Lehigh Acres, Florida 33963 \ SAFETY RECOMMENDAT I ON (S) P-76-63 and 64 A t 7:52 a.m. on March 23, 1976, a 1,000-gallon liquefied petro- leum gas (LPG) tank owned by Lehigh U t i l i t i e s , Inc., ruptured i n a r e s i d e n t i a l neighborhood of Lehigh Acres, Florida. Liquid and vapors escaped from the ruptures. The escaping l i q u i d vaporized, formed a white, fog-like cloud near the ground, and ignited. The ensuing f i r e and explosion k i l l e d one person, destroyed one truck, and damaged another. The Safety Board's investigation disclosed t h a t a truck had backed over t h e buried LPG tank and had struck the t a n k ' s manhole, which extended 1 2 t o 14 inches above ground level. The impact rup- tured t h e tank's f i l l pipe, i t s r e l i e f valve, and i t s liquid-level gauge. The tank was p a r t of a pipeline system which was i n s t a l l e d i n December 1972 t o supply gas t o a r e s i d e n t i a l neighborhood which was being developed by t h e gas system's parent company, Lehigh Acres Development, Inc. The system incorporated two buried 1,000-gallon LPG tanks a t each end of t h e pipeline, which extended three blocks. Although vehicles were driven over t h e undeveloped l o t s t o unload construction materials, the locations of the LPG tanks and t h e pipe- l i n e were not marked or protected from the vehicles. The National F i r e Protection Association Standard No. 5 8 , "Standard for Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases," has been adopted a s p a r t of 49 CFR 192, "Transportation of Natural and Other Gas by Pipeline." The Standard requires t h a t pipeline operators take precautions against vehicular damage where such i s a p o s s i b i l i t y and t h a t , where necessary, manholes and other connec- t i o n s be protected from vehicles. 1870#

Page 2Therefore, t h e National Transportation Safety Board recommends t h a t Lehigh U t i l i t i e s , Inc.: Mark t h e location of a l l buried LPG tanks, which may be damaged by vehicles, t o a l e r t d r i v e r s t h a t they a r e driving near a buried tank. (P-76-63) ( C l a s s I, Urgent Followup) Protect the manhole of and piping connections to a l l LPG tanks which may be damaged by vehicles. (P-76-64) (Class I, Urgent Followup) TODD, Chainnag, EF.ILEY, Vice-chairman, MCADAMS, HOG^, Members, concurred i n t h e a m y e recormenaations. By: Webster B. Todd, Jr. Chairman NAIIONAL IRAhSPORIAIlON SAFCIY BOARD WASHINGION. D C 2051% OFFICIAL BUSINESS PENALTY FOR PRIVAIE USE. SUO POSTIIOO Ah’D FEES P I I D NATIONAL TRANSPOnTATION BsiIIETI‘ UOAnD#