Posted on 11/25/2012 2:37:15 PM PST by matt04
The massive explosion that rocked Springfield's entertainment district, leveling a strip club and injuring 21 people, was caused by "human error," according to Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan.
Officials said a thorough, block-by-block investigation since Friday's blast indicates the city's gas system is safe, intact and functioning properly.
The probe will now focus on the Columbia Gas employee responsible for puncturing a gas line with a tool, and whether proper protocol was followed in the build-up to Friday's explosion. The blast injured 21 people, damaged more than three dozen buildings, and prompted a large-scale evacuation of the city's downtown entertainment district.
"Human error ... is what the cause of the explosion was," Coan said Sunday, attributing the origins of the blast to a utility worker who punctured an underground gas line with a metal probing tool.
...
Street markings showing the location of underground gas lines were incorrectly placed, Coan said, adding that further investigation by the state Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will focus on why that was the case. State Engery and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr., who oversees the DPU, will ultimately oversee the probe at this point.
(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...
Something seems suspicious. I've seen crews take those metal probes, stick them in the ground and take measurements.
For that to puncture a gas pipe seems strange. If the pipe was really that shallow and in that bad of shape than someone besides the worker has some explaining to do.
“Dig Safe” fail
There are old piped utilities all over the nation. A good understanding of all the factors that control service life was only really really reached in the last 25 years. All utilities put in place prior to that are a crap shoot.
You have concrete resistance to certain chemicals, cathodic protection, pipe materials and joining, bedding issues and proximity of other utilities with constant changes. This sort of problem is very common and it is often luck that keeps the failures from being this bad more often.
Saw video of the entire explosion this morning. Why the city cam was pointed at a strip club may remain a mystery.
lol
Early June 2011, Springfield was hit hard by a tornado, and people are still trying to recover. Sad Springfield is such a seedy place, maybe it should be leveled and rebuilt again.
Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr., who oversees the DPU, will ultimately oversee the probe at this point
Hey guys, let's go down to the entertainment district and go probing, it'll be a blast!
It’s a shame that people were hurt, but I am not sorry that the strip club got destroyed.
Entertainment District?
It's a Combat Zone...Red Light District.
It's the Bic lighter's fault.
I’ve seen gas utilties use long drill bits to create test holes into which they drop gas detector tubes to determine if gas is leaking under the surface of say an asphalt driveway.
Oh man that place is national treasuer, as well as Albano’s Italian Ice, and LaForentia’s Cannoli’s.....
That didn’t look big enough to destroy 42 buildings unless they were all ready to fall down anyway
They may be the best but Mrs Murphy's in Southwick are the Best-est! :)
I’ve seen that also. However the hole in the pipe doesn’t looked drilled. I would assume they stop drilling the second they hit soil to avoid drilling into a pipe.
Out front, there was a lever action DIME Coke machine!
Just look for them when the red light is lit!!! They are fantabulous!
Nah, these are the Best-est! LOL
We just hijacked an explosion thread with Donuts :)
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