1965 — March 4, Explosion & Fire, Natural Gas Pipeline, residential Natchitoches, LA– 17
— 17 Khan & Abbasi. “Major Accidents in Process Industries…,” LPPI Journal, Vol. 12, 1999.
— 17 Lake Charles American Press, LA. “Natchitoches Gas Explosion Kills 17.” 3-4-1965, p. 1.
— 17 Mannan. Lee’s Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, Case Histories App. 1, p. 33.
— 17 NFPA. “The Major Fires of 1965.” Fire Journal, Vol. 60, No. 3, May 1966, p. 52.
— 17 NaturalGas.org. “Partial List of Pipeline Explosions in the U.S.: Natural Gas and Related.”
— 17 Pearson, Drew. “Unearth Facts on Pipeline Blast.” Sheboygan Press, WI. 6-18-1965, p. 26.
Narrative Information
Mannan: “On 4 March 1965, an explosion occurred on a 24 in. high-pressure natural gas pipeline at Natchitoches, Louisiana. The explosion was apparently caused by the high-pressure gas, there being no evidence of combustion in the pipeline. The splitting action of the pipe propagated the rupture for 27 ft along the pipe. The resultant blowout produced a crater 27 ft. long, 20 ft wide and 10 ft deep. Three pieces of metal with a total weight of half a ton were hurled distances of 129-351 ft from the point of rupture. Within 60 s[seconds] there followed an explosion that ‘incinerated’ an area of 13.8 acres. Seventeen people were killed.” (Mannan. Lee’s Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, Case Histories App. 1, p. 33.)
NFPA: “…pipeline fire, Natchitoches, La., March 4, failure of transmission line and ignition of natural gas, 17 killed…” (NFPA. “The Major Fires of 1965.” Fire Journal, Vol. 60, No. 3, May 1966, p. 52.)
NaturalGas.org: “1965: Gas Transmission Pipeline, north of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company explodes from stress corrosion cracking, killing 17 people. This accident lead to for the formation of a national pipeline safety agency. (March 4, 1965)” (NaturalGas.org. “Partial List of Pipeline Explosions in the U.S.: Natural Gas….”)
Newspapers
March 4: “Natchitoches (AP) — A giant natural gas pipeline exploded in a sleeping residential area shortly after dawn today, killing 17 persons including nine children. Nine other persons were burned, some severely in the fireball that devastated the area after the blast.
“The dead included Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Rond, three of their children and their three grand-children. Also killed was the Rev. Jack Van Meter, his wife, three small children and his mother-in-law. All the dead and injured lived in a row of houses about 150 feet from the pipeline and just across Louisiana 1 from the Country club.
“The blast, occurring 150 yards behind a row of frame houses, created a crater 15 feet deep, 75 feet long and 30 feet wide. Flames from escaping gas soared upward 400 feet or more before Tennessee Gas Transmission Co. workmen managed to stop the flow….
“The explosion occurred about 6 a.m.
“State police estimated damage from the blast and accompanying fireball at over a million dollars. Five houses were leveled, with furnishings scattered over 15 to 20 acres. Six cars and three trucks were destroyed. A nearby sawmill was damaged.
“Rescue workers, moving into the area after the flow of gas was stopped, found the body of Mrs. William E. Ammons, about 25, in a ditch across the highway and about 60 feet from her house. Her baby daughter’s body was lying in the road about 50 feet from the house. Her husband and three other children escaped with minor burns. Nine persons were killed in another house. Six of these bodies were found in the wreckage and three others had been hurled outside by the force of the explosion. Officials said all bodies were burned beyond recognition except those of Mrs. Ammons and her daughter.
“The early morning blast awakened this entire northwest Louisiana town of 15,000. Some were knocked from their beds.
“At Houston, Tex., a spokesman for Tennessee Gas said the pipeline is part of a 2,000-mile main line carrying natural gas from South Texas to New England. The 32-inch line operates under 730 pounds of pressure and normally is buried under about six feet of earth. The spokesman said cause of the explosion had not been established.
“The same line blew up in the spring of 1954, with no casualties.”
17 Victims of Gas Explosion Are Identified
“Natchitoches, La. (AP) — Here are the tentative identifications of those killed in the natural gas pipeline explosion near here today:
- Mrs. William E. Ammons, about 25.
- Mrs. Ammons’ baby daughter, name not available.
- J. R. Rond, 42.
- Mrs. J, R. Rond, 40, Rond’s wife.
- Charles Rond, 14, the Bonds’ son.
- Danny Rond, 9, another son.
- Mrs. Ova Dean Barbo, the Ronds’ married daughter.
- 9 and 10. Mrs. Barbo’s three children, names and ages unavailable.
- Lewis Gilchrease, 41.
- Mrs. Lawson Antley, 55.
- The Rev. Jack Van Meter, 30, Mrs. Antley’s son-in-law.
- Mrs. Jack Van Meter, 28, Van Meter’s wife.
- Renee Van Meter, 8, the Van Meter’s child.
- Melody Van Meter, 4, another child.
- Michelle Van Meter, 3, another child.”
(Lake Charles American Press, LA. “Natchitoches Gas Explosion Kills 17.” 3-4-1965, p. 1.)
June 18: “Washington — A “classified” report withheld from the public by the Federal Power Commission indicates there may be danger of more tragic pipeline explosions of the type that cremated 17 people as they slept in their homes at Natchitoches, La., last March. Some of the experts even believe that the corroded metal in the older pipelines of the nation should be entirely replaced if the lives of people living alongside the lines are to be safe.
“This column has now obtained a copy of the report gathering dust in the files of the Federal Power Commission and it reveals shocking facts. The inside story behind its suppression is equally shocking. It shows that the tragedy occurred because Tennessee Gas Transmission was pumping gas through its line at a pressure too great for the pipe. Even more shocking, the report shows that 12 hours after 17 people had been burned to death, Tennessee Gas resumed pumping gas at the same excessive rate of 765 psig (pounds per square inch gauge), despite the fact that only 750 psig was recommended for the pipe.
‘Roaring Fiery Torch’
“Here is the story of what happened as first told by Dr. Charles E. Cook, coroner of Natchitoches Parish, who got to the scene of the tragedy 17 minutes after it happened: “I took some photographs of that gigantic, impressive, roaring fiery torch. The escaping gas exploded and it appeared as though a giant blowtorch had been set off — the houses and garage were totally demolished as were several cars and trucks; also some of the livestock were killed….
“Sen. Allen Ellender, D-La., immediately called for a Federal Power Commission investigation, a report on which was first prepared by Olaf W. Nelson of the FPC pipeline division, who had gone to the scene of the tragedy with William J. Drescher, chief of the division, Ellery K. Johnson, supervising engineer, and Louis A. Brubaker Jr., also a supervising engineer, all of the bureau of natural gas.
“When Nelson’s report was submitted to Frank F. Waiters, chief of the bureau of natural gas, and his deputy, Louis W. Mendonsa, they cautiously rejected it. It was considered too tough. They then gave the report to Supervising Engineer Brubaker, who on April 15 compelled a rewrite. During the rewriting of the report, Drescher, chief of the pipeline division, was in frequent touch with Brubaker and, according to other FPC officials, sought to soften any fact which might reflect on Tennessee Gas Transmission. He wanted to emphasize the technical aspects of pipeline deterioration rather than the fact that Tennessee Gas was putting too much pressure through the pipe.
“When the report was finally submitted to the full commission, Drescher, Walters, and Mendonsa sought to minimize its conclusions. They emphasized the fact that metallurgical findings have not yet been received from the Tate Laboratories, a test paid for by Tennessee Gas.
“The commissioners themselves, relying on their staff and bogged down with other work, were not able to examine the report carefully. They agreed to withhold it from the public.
“However, here are the crucial sections of the report:
“On page 10, under “Design Pressure Limitations,” the report states that the American standard code for pressure piping had set certain standards according to the density of population along the route of the pipeline and that in “Class I locations — those of least density — pressures are restricted to 72 per cent of the theoretical design pressures, which in this case would be 72 per cent of 1,042 psig which is 750 psig.”
“On page 6, the FPC report tells of inspecting the operational log and pressure chart of Tennessee’s station No. 40 near where the explosion occurred. “The recorded discharge pressure ranged between 760 and 768 psig,” the report states. “At 6 a.m. on March 4, just minutes before the blowout, the recorded pressure was 765.”
“The most alarming fact, however, is that Tennessee Gas upped the pressure back to this danger point in its other lines after the tragedy. The report further states: “Over the succeeding 12 hours the discharge pressure in the three remaining in-service lines was restored to the 765 psig level.”
“Experts at the power commission have been loath to talk about the suppressed report, but say privately that the original pipe was laid shortly after the war, when steel was scarce and the pipe wall thin; also that all gas pipelines are subject to hydronization corrosion.
“The fact that an explosion occurred May 9, 1955, ten years ago, just 930 feet from the March 4, ’65, tragedy, indicates that the line may require major overhaul.
“Drescher, who conferred with Brubaker with a view of toning down the report, is now chief of the FPC’s pipeline division, but earlier was chief of the division which handled all applications for Tennessee Gas, usually assigning them to his close friend, William Prather. Later Prather went to work for Tennessee Gas on Drescher’s recommendation. He is employed by the firm in Houston today.
“Inside reason given by some FPC officials for not publishing the report on the Natchitoches tragedy was that it would alarm the industry by calling attention to the possibility of replacing older pipelines laid during the immediate postwar years. — (Copyright, 1965, by Bell-McClure Syndicate).” (Pearson, Drew. “Washington Merry-Go-Round…Unearth Facts on Pipeline Blast.” Sheboygan Press, WI. 6-18-1965, p. 26.)
Sources
Khan, Faisal I. and S.A. Abbasi. “Major Accidents in Process Industries and an Analysis of Causes and Consequences.” Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, Vol. 12, 1999, pp. 361-378. At: http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:http://202.38.89.99/Loss_prevention/99503.pdf
Lake Charles American Press, LA. “Natchitoches Gas Explosion Kills 17.” 3-4-1965, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=116894059&sterm=natchitoches
Mannan, Sam (Ed.). Lee’s Loss Prevention in the Process Industries: Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control (3rd Ed., 3 Vols.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, 2005.
National Fire Protection Association. “The Major Fires of 1965.” Fire Journal, Vol. 60, No. 3, May 1966, pp. 52-54.
NaturalGas.org. “Partial List of Pipeline Explosions in the U.S.: Natural Gas and Related Products. Accessed 2/5/2010 at: http://www.un-naturalgas.org/Pipeline%20Explosions%20U.S.%20Natural%20Gas%20and%20Related.pdf
Pearson, Drew. “Washington Merry-Go-Round…Unearth Facts on Pipeline Blast.” Sheboygan Press, WI. 6-18-1965, p. 26. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=7910038&sterm