CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A pipeline explosion that sent a plume of fire into the air in Sissonville in late 2012 was likely the result of corrosion and no inspection of the pipeline in nearly 25 years, according to a federal report released today. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable causes of the massive explosion after investigating the blast for more than a year, issuing its 38-page final report today. Remarkably, no lives were lost in this accident but the potential for tragedy was clearly there, stated NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman in a news release. Inspection and testing improve the chances of locating defects early, and reduce the probability of a catastrophic failure which can have devastating results. In December of 2012 a natural gas pipeline owned by Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation broke near I-77 in the Sissonville area. The pipeline rupture sent a ball of fire more than 100 feet into the air, melting highway signs and destroying three houses. The NTSB determined corrosion on the outside of the 20-inch diameter pipe wall, caused by deteriorating coating and ineffective cathodic protection led to the break in the pipe. No one had discovered the poor condition of the pipeline because it hadnt been inspected after 1988, according to the NTSB.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:58:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015