OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #998526

BURN,FIRE,NATURAL GAS,EQUIPMENT FAILURE,TORCH,PIPELINE,VALVE,CUTTING AND BURNING

1988-06-27T00:00:00

Event: BURN,FIRE,NATURAL GAS,EQUIPMENT FAILURE,TORCH,PIPELINE,VALVE,CUTTING AND BURNING
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 998526
Report ID: 552700

Event description

Five employees burned in gas line fire

Investigation abstract

At approximately 12:30 p.m. on June 27, 1988, Employees #1 through #5 were worki ng in the bell hole with an 8 in. main natural gas line. One employee was cuttin g the end cap from a line, which was closed with a stopple valve 24 in. away. Af ter the first cut was made and the torch had been shut off, the employee was goi ng to make an outside bevel cut to connect a reducer and weld a 6 in. distributi on gas line. But the stopple valve let go and a 50 ft high fire shot 12 ft out o f the pipe. Employees #1 and #5, who were all working nearby, were hospitalized with burns.

Victims (5)

#1 Hospitalized Age 30 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
19

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
869

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
1640

Task assigned
1
#2 Hospitalized Age 56 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
19

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
558

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
1640

Task assigned
1
#3 Hospitalized Age 27 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
19

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
587

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
1640

Task assigned
1
#4 Hospitalized Age 43 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
853

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
1640

Task assigned
1
#5 Hospitalized Age 32 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
3

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
869

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Hazardous substance
1640

Task assigned
1

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