List of pipeline accidents in the United States (1950–1974)

Updated on Dec 31, 2023

Edit

Comment

The following is a partial list of oil, petroleum, and gas pipeline accidents in the United States between 1950 and 1974.

1950s

1950 On March 13, an overhead pipeline at a refinery in Martinez, California leaked, causing flammable fumes to spread onto a highway. An automobile ignited the fumes, killed a woman, and injuring 2 other in vehicle. 3 autos were also burned.

1950 3 different explosion on the Big Inch gas transmission pipeline near Colonia, New Jersey were announced on April 11 to be from hydrostatic testing of that pipeline for weaknesses.

1950 The "Big Inch" gas pipeline exploded and burned on July 1, near Beallsville, Ohio. A house and a barn were destroyed by the fire.

1950 Three workers were killed in an underground vault in Los Angeles, California on August 22, when a gas main exploded. There was no fire.

1950 On September 7, a new natural gas pipeline exploded near Big Rapids, Michigan. Two barns were destroyed by the following fire, that was seen for 50 miles.

1950 A brand new natural gas transmission pipeline exploded, while initial pressure was building up, on September 20 near Wadley, Texas. About 300 yards of the pipe were ripped out of the ground.

1950 On November 24, a newly built 30-inch natural gas pipeline ruptured for nearly 3,000 feet (910 m), causing a fire that destroyed 2 homes under construction near King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

1951 Two men welding on a crude oil pipeline at an oil Terminal in Kansas City, Kansas were severely burned on January 7, when a nearby valve failed, spraying them with crude oil that ignited. Both later died of their burns.

1951 On January 10, two gas explosions, 3 hours apart, hit McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, injuring 8 people, igniting a fire, and causing widespread damage.

1951 On February 9, natural gas leaked from a gas line into a sewer system in Jefferson, Pennsylvania. The gas was involved in 3 different home explosions, causing other homes to burn. 2 people were killed, 8 others injured, and, 6 homes destroyed.

1951 A gas main pressure regulator failed in Rochester, New York on September 21, causing a series of explosion that last for 4 hours. 3 people were killed, and 30 homes were destroyed.

1951 A Halloween Parade on October 31 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was interrupted by 4 gas main explosions. 29 people were injured.

1951 A 12-inch temporary gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned near Cranberry, Pennsylvania on November 27, causing a 200-foot (61 m) high flame that could be seen for a number of miles away. The explosion was heard for 10 miles around. A pipeline compressor station under construction at the site was destroyed. A nearby Elementary school was relocated following the failure.

1952 On May 17, a brand new valve being added to the 20 inch "Little Inch" gas transmission pipeline split open near Marietta, Pennsylvania, knocking down pipeline company workers, 2 of whom were seriously injured. There was no fire.

1952 On July 9, a gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned near York, Pennsylvania.

1952 A pipeline explosion killed 2 men near Ackerly, Texas on July 17.

1952 Four men working on an 8-inch gas pipeline near Mount Pleasant, Michigan were burned when that pipeline ruptured as they raised it for reconditioning on September 26.

1952 On October 18, a 26-inch gas pipeline, a branch of the "Big Inch" pipeline, started leaking at an insulated flange in Liberty Corner, New Jersey. A road was closed during the leak.

1952 On December 29, twelve persons were injured in a blast that shook the Lawndale district of Los Angeles, California, when a ditching machine broke a gasoline-carrying pipeline and touched off a fiery explosion.

1953 Five square miles of east of Boston, Massachusetts was evacuated on September 9 from a pipeline leaking about 1,000,000 US gallons (3,800,000 L) of gasoline.

1953 On September 10, a gas explosion in Cleveland, Ohio killed one person and injured 50 others.

1953 A 30-inch gas transmission pipeline exploded on October 18 near Uniontown, Pennsylvania, causing a massive fire that burned 5 miles of cornfields. There were no injuries reported.

1953 A US Air Force T-33 trainer jet crashed into a natural gas pipeline bridge over the Mississippi River on November 24 near Greenville, Mississippi, rupturing and igniting the pipeline.

1954 On January 17, a Panhandle Eastern gas transmission pipeline exploded in Lucas County, Ohio, causing some nearby residents to evacuate. a crater 60 feet long, 10 feet deep, and 8 feet wide. Two other explosion had occurred on this pipeline in the previous 2 years in Lucas County, but a Panhandle Eastern representative said the 3 explosions were just a coincidence.

1954 A 40- to 50-year-old LP gas distribution line was blamed for causing an explosion in Goldsboro, North Carolina on April 12 that killed 5 people, injured 15 others, and demolished 3 buildings.

1955 On February 15, a 20-inch Cities Service pipeline exploded south of Lawrence, Kansas, ejecting a 20-foot section of pipeline. There was no fire or injuries.

1955 The "Big Inch" gas pipeline exploded and burned near Roseville, Ohio on March 7. Flames reached 400 feet (120 m) high, and 8 acres (32,000 m²) of brush & timber burned.

1955 On March 9, a pipeline construction crew of 4 were killed while trying to move a pipeline for the building of a Toll road in Chesterton, Indiana. Two other pipeline workers were injured, and a school a quarter mile away was evacuated.

1955 A burst pipeline at a Refinery in Sunburst, Montana contaminated groundwater and soil in the area. Despite pumping out over 182,000 US gallons (690,000 L) of gasoline, pollution from the accident remained. In 2004, local residents and a school district won a Lawsuit for payments for damages.

1955 A bulldozer ruptured and ignited a gas pipeline in Brookshire, Texas. Flames reached 250 feet (76 m), and the bulldozer operator was killed.

1955 On August 10, a gas leak in Ashtabula, Ohio was ignited by electrical equipment or lightning, causing a restaurant to explode. 21 people were killed, 15 more were injured, and 6 buildings destroyed.

1955 A gas pipeline being tested in Detroit, Michigan exploded and burned on September 7, injuring one person, and destroying 50 cars.

1955 On October 10, a crew cleaning the outside of a natural gas pipeline with a heavy rubber ball ruptured a coupler, causing an explosion and fire east of Orleans, Indiana. Two members of the crew were killed, and 3 others were injured.

1955 A drag line operation in a gravel pit in Irving, Texas ruptured an 8-inch diameter gasoline pipeline on November 30. Gasoline spread out over about 10 acres (40,000 m²), then exploded and burned. 1 home was destroyed, but the family living there was away at the time of the explosion.

1956 On February 11, a corroded gas line from a gas main leaked, causing an explosion that killed 3 people at a meat packing plant in Toledo, Ohio.

1956 A trench digging machine being used in building a freeway cut into a gasoline pipeline in West Los Angeles, California on February 27. At least 3 people were burned, with 9 homes, a warehouse, and a laundry catching on fire.

1956 On April 26, a new 26 inch gas transmission was being pressure tested near Moab, Utah with gas exploded, then burned, causing damage to a utility pole, and damaging a half mile of the pipeline. Mines in the region were shut down due to the lack of power. There were no injuries.

1956 A butane pipeline ruptured on October 16, forcing 25 families to evacuate from flammable fumes near Greenwich, Ohio. Trains were also stopped in the area, until the fumes dissipated. There were no injuries.

1957 On January 16, an explosion and fire occurred at a natural gas compressor station in Liberal, Kansas, killing 3 workers at that station. 11 other workers were injured, and the fire burned for 2 hours. The shut down of this gas pipeline from the explosion affected customers as far away as Ohio in sub-zero weather conditions.

1957 Two explosion from a natural gas main killed 3 people in Peoria, Illinois on January 17. 7 others were injured, and a home and a 2-story building were leveled.

1957 On January 23, the "Little Inch" gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned near York, Pennsylvania, causing flames reaching 200 feet high. There were no injuries.

1957 A leaking gas main in Reno, Nevada led to three explosions on February 6. 2 people were killed, 42 others injured, and 5 buildings were destroyed.

1957 On June 3, a 26-inch natural gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned near Ellinwood, Kansas, destroying a farm house. One person was injured.

1957 On October 18, a 16-inch gas transmission pipeline burst 30 miles from Spokane, Washington, shutting down gas delivery to the Spokane area. A family near the rupture had to take cover.

1957 On December 5, a gas line in the basement of a store that was being worked on in Villa Rica, Georgia, exploded. 13 people were killed in the explosion and following fire. At least 6 stores were destroyed.

1958 A natural gas metering station in Kimberly, Idaho exploded on February 17, killing two pipeline company workers, injuring another worker, and destroyed the metering building. There was no fire.

1958 On June 1, gas leaking from a pipeline near Big Spring, Texas was ignited and exploded, killing 3 fishermen and seriously burning another fisherman.

1958 A truck missed a curve on a road and crashed into a gas transmission pipeline compressor station near Kings Mountain, North Carolina on September 16. There was an explosion and fire, and the 2 men in the truck were killed.

1958 On October 4, a gasoline pipeline was ruptured by a bulldozer in Hobbs, New Mexico. The gasoline ignited, injuring 3 people, damaging 6 homes, and threatened a number of other homes for a time.

1958 On November 9, a jet fuel pipeline ruptured near the Blue Creek in Idaho. Fuel flowed down the creek, and later ignited, damaging one home and destroying 6 bridges. Several were sicked by the fumes from incident.

1958 A leaking and burning gas line under a street lead to several explosions at a Hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on December 14. 7 people were killed and 23 others injured.

1959 On April 29, a 20-inch pipeline owned by Laurel Pipeline ruptured near Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania spilling thousands of gallons of gasoline onto fields a streams. Earthen dams were built to reduce the amount of gasoline spilling into fishing streams. The pipeline had been recently built.

1959 On May 22, a Buckeye Partners oil pipeline ruptured in Sylvania, Ohio, spouting up in the lawn of one homeowner.

1959 A worker on gas transmission pipeline was closing a valve, when it exploded near Newton, Pennsylvania on September 25. The worker was killed, and another worker was injured.

1959 On October 8, a 10-inch propane pipeline burst in Austin, Texas. 400 families had to be evacuated, due to the explosion & fire hazard. Eventually, the fumes dissipated without incident. The rupture was caused by a weak section of pipe.

1960s

1960 Transwestern Pipeline Co.'s gas line 58 miles northwest of Roswell N.M. suffered an 8.1 mile brittle fracture during testing of the 30-inch X56 pipeline. It failed at about 850 psi.

1960 An estimated 125,000 persons in southwest Missouri were without gas in subfreezing temperatures for several days due to a ditch-digging machine rupturing a pipeline.

1960 On Saturday, March 19, a leaking 1 1/2 inch gas line lead to gas migrating through a sewer line, from a church into a school, in Wauseon, Ohio. The gas later exploded, damaging the school and injuring six. Classes were not in session at that time.

1960 In July, excavation work in Merrill, Wisconsin causes a gas leak and gas explosion that killed 10 people.

1960 A ditching machine used in laying a water main hit an 8-inch natural gas pipeline in Sarasota, Florida on October 5. 9 People were injured in the following explosion and fire.

1960 On October 27, a 16-inch gas transmission pipeline near Checotah, Oklahoma exploded while it was being worked on to repair a leak. 2 of the repair crew died, and 4 others were injured.

1960 On December 12, a leaking 8-inch pipeline at a tanker dock in Richmond, California spilled gasoline into the San Francisco Bay.

1960 A 30-inch gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned at a gas sub station in Huntington, West Virginia on December 19. Windows were broken, 1 homes was damaged, and brush burned, but there were no injuries.

1961 On January 4, a gas pipeline failure near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania ignited, causing a fire that was widely seen in the area. There were no injuries.

1961 On February 22, a pipeline exploded and burned in a refinery in Borger, Texas, killing 9 members of a construction crew, and burning another crewman.

1961 The main City of Miami, Florida Garage was destroyed by a gas explosion on February 23. The blast was caused by a ditch digging machine being used in the garage hitting and rupturing a 2-inch gas pipe. One person was seriously burned by the blast, and 2 fire fighters were injured fight the fire that followed the blast.

1961 A Transcontinental Pipeline 36-inch gas transmission pipeline exploded near Laurel, Mississippi on June 18. 10 people were injured, and one home was destroyed from flames that went hundreds of feet in the air. A crater 30 feet (9.1 m) long and 20 feet (6.1 m) deep was created by the failure.

1961 A 26-inch gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned near Trapp, Kentucky on September 10. 22 people suffered various burn injuries.

1961 On October 9, vapors from a leaking pipeline on an oil storage tank exploded and burned in Bridgeport, Illinois. 4 oil company workers were killed, and 3 others injured.

1961 On November 19, a gas pipeline exploded and burned near Warrenton, Virginia. The blast created a crater 40 feet (12 m) long, 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, and 6 feet (1.8 m) deep. There were no injuries.

1961 An 18-inch natural gas pipeline exploded and burned near Cadiz, Ohio on November 25. There were no injuries or damage.

1962 Gas leaking from a 10-inch natural gas transmission pipeline exploded on February 20 in Portage, Ohio, injuring 6 people and destroying a home.

1962 On April 24, An earth mover hit a 10-inch Buckeye Partners pipeline in Sylvania, Ohio, causing a geyser of naphtha, which flowed into the Ten Mile Creek. Nearby schools were impacted.

1962 On June 14, a backhoe ruptured a gas transmission pipeline near Idaho Falls, Idaho. The escaping gas exploded and ignited later on while a crew was trying to repair the line. One of the crew was killed, and 5 others injured in the fire.

1962 On August 2, a natural gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned in Clearwater, Florida, next to US Highway 19, forcing that road's closure for a time. There were no injuries reported. Investigators found the line had previous mechanical damage as a cause of the failure.

1962 A 30-inch gas transmission failed on August 3 in Kansas City, Kansas. The gas flowed for 10 minutes before exploding and igniting. An 8-inch gas distribution pipeline was also ruptured, 11 homes were destroyed, and 23 others were damaged. At least one person was injured.

1962 On September 11, an 8-inch propane/LPG pipeline was ruptured by road building equipment near Eatonton, Georgia. One of the road workers was overcome and asphyxiated by the propane fumes. Propane fumes followed the Oconee River for 10 miles (16 km) into Lake Sinclair.

1962 On October 17, a gas main in Kansas City, Missouri exploded and burned, with flames 100 feet high, causing serious damage to one home, and minor damage to others. There were no injuries.

1963 On January 2, a gas transmission pipeline ruptured, due to a defective weld, in San Francisco, California. The gas ignited, one firefighter died from a heart attack, and 9 other firefighters were injured fighting the resulting inferno.

1963 On January 10, a pipeline spilled gasoline across US 27 in Coldwater, Michigan. There were no injuries or ignition.

1963 A leaking gas main led to an explosion in 3 homes that killed a man and injured several more in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on January 26.

1963 An explosion and fire spread through a gas pipeline compressor station in Montezuma, Indiana on March 12, injuring 16 workers.

1963 On September 18, crews installing a 12-inch pipeline hit an 8-inch Buckeye Partners pipeline in Monroe, Michigan, releasing some petroleum product. Traffic in that area was snarled, and several homes nearby were voluntarily evacuated.

1963 A crude oil pipeline was hit and ruptured by an earth mover near Fostoria, Ohio, on October 30. The earth mover operator was seriously burned in the resulting fire.

1963 On October 31, a 6-inch butane pipeline was ruptured by an earth mover near West Millgrove, Ohio. The equipment operator was critically burned by the following explosion and fire.

1963 On November 17, flammable liquids leaking from a pipeline disposal pit were accidentally ignited, killing a teen planning to cook alongside a creek in South Carolina.

1964 A Santa Fe Railroad Freight Train apparently ignited fumes from a leaking propane pipeline near Bosworth, Missouri on February 4. The explosion and fire ignited 4 diesel locomotives and some box cars, and derailed other box cars. One member of the Rail Crew was injured.

1964 On February 7, 2 workers installing insulation on a valve in a manhole in Richardson, Texas were overcome by gas when an 8-inch pipeline in the vault ruptured, and were killed.

1964 A front loader ruptured a gas pipeline in Fort Worth, Texas on February 28, seriously burning the loader operator.

1964 On May 12, a bulldozer hit and broke a valve on an LPG pipeline near Demopolis, Alabama while grading land. The resulting fire caused fears of flames spreading to an underground storage facility, but the fire was later controlled. There were no injuries.

1964 On August 22, crews working on an extension of Plantation Pipeline in Ferry Farms, Virginia hit a natural gas pipeline. Gas escaped for over 3 hours before it was shut off.

1964 On September 1, a 24-inch natural gas transmission pipeline being worked on exploded near Pratt, Kansas, burning 9 of the crew.

1964 A crude oil pipeline ruptured in Gilbertown, Alabama on October 29. More than 72,000 US gallons (270,000 L) of oil were spilled.

1964 A gas line being moved in Miami, Florida exploded and burned on November 18. 4 people were injured.

1964 On November 25, a recently replace natural gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned in Saint Francisville, Louisiana, killing 5 workers of the pipeline, and injuring at least 23 others.

1965 On January 6, a house in Garnett, Kansas was destroyed by an explosion, and later on gas was found leaking from a 2-inch gas line in the street front of it, and was suspected as the cause. A young boy was killed. The leak may have also caused another nearby house explosion the previous November.

1965 On January 21, an 8-inch Buckeye Partners pipeline propane transmission pipeline 15 miles (24 km) east of Jefferson City, Missouri leaked. The propane spread along the ground, and exploded several hours later, scorching an area over a mile wide. A girl being dropped off at a school bus stop was severely burned and later died, and 2 other people were burned.

1965 A 32-inch gas transmission pipeline, north of Natchitoches, Louisiana, belonging to the Tennessee Gas Pipeline exploded and burned from Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) on March 4, killing 17 people. At least 9 others were injured, and 7 homes 450 feet from the rupture were destroyed. This accident, and others of the era, led then-President Lyndon B. Johnson to call for the formation of a national pipeline safety agency in 1967. The same pipeline had also had an explosion on May 9, 1955, just 930 feet (280 m) from the 1965 failure.

1965 A crude oil pipeline ruptured east of Blanding, Utah on April 3, spilling about 5,000 barrels (790 m³) of crude oil into the San Juan River. The ruptured pipeline was reported to flow "wide open" for over an hour.

1965 On April 28, a butane pipeline ruptured in Conroe, Texas, forcing residents in an 8 block area to evacuate.

1965 On July 24, a natural gas pipeline exploded and burned when workers were welding on a tie-in pipeline onto it near Tescott, Kansas. One of the workers died, and 15 others were injured.

1965 On August 21, a 9-year-old girl was killed and eight people were injured in a Buckeye Partners pipeline explosion in western Van Wert County, Ohio. The explosion threw up flames that could be seen from 40 miles (64 km) away and scorched a 100-acre (0.40 km²) area of farmland. A home about 800 yards away was shifted off of its foundation, and half a mile of railroad ties set on fire. The girl was killed in her bed in a house 300 yards from the blast site. The rest of her family was injured. Investigators said the explosion was caused by gas leaking from an 8-inch pipeline, and was apparently ignited by a spark from a passing train.

1965 An 8-inch diameter Buckeye Partners gasoline pipeline ruptured in Sylvania, Ohio on August 23. The danger of fire or explosion forced evacuations of residents in a 2-square-mile (5.2 km²) area. There was no fire.

1965 On October 25, a ruptured Buckeye Partners pipeline spilled naphtha in Mount Cory, Ohio, forcing evacuations until the naphtha evaporated.

1965 In November, 2 workers cutting into a pipeline at a natural gas liquids storage facility in Mont Belvieu, Texas accidentally caused an explosion and fire, killing both workers, forcing 1,700 residents to evacuate, and causing petrochemical businesses in the area to shut down.

A survey by the Federal Power Commission of 51 gas pipeline companies show that between January 1, 1950, and June 30, 1965 showed that gas transmission pipeline failures had killed 64 people and injured another 222. of the fatalities, 35 were gas pipeline company workers or contractors, and 29 were members of the public.

1966 On January 10, a new 36 inch gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned during cleaning operations near Larose, Louisiana, killing 2 pipeline workers and burning 5 others.

1966 A 6-inch natural gas pipeline ruptured in Norfolk, Nebraska on January 28, shutting off gas to 20,000 people in 10 communities on January 28.

1966 On July 1, a break in an 8-inch Buckeye Partners pipeline Co. line spilled thousands of gallons of crude into a field and the sewer system of Findlay, Ohio.

1966 On December 14, a leaking propane pipeline near Swedenborg, Missouri made a car stall. Other came to aid the stalled car, and someone lit a cigarette, igniting the fumes. 8 people were burned and hospitalized.

1967 A Shell Oil Company 6-inch propane pipeline exploded and burned while it was being worked on in Meeker, Oklahoma on January 10. One of the workers was killed, and another injured.

1967 A leaking gas main in the Jamaica section of New York City, New York caught fire on January 13. 2 pieces of FDNY equipment responding to the gas leak report were burned, as well as numerous buildings. The fire spread to 13 alarm size, with 63 fire companies being used to control the situation. 17 homes were destroyed. The cause of the leak was the failure of a moisture scrubbing "drip pot" on the pipeline.

1967 Manufacturers Light and Heat Company announced they were requesting to the Federal Power Commission permission to allow a new pipeline to replace 73.5 miles of older pipeline, which was having 200 to 450 leaks a year in Eastern Pennsylvania.

1967 On May 16, a pile driver ruptured a propane pipeline in Dearborn, Michigan. The escaping gas caught fire, with 2 construction workers being killed, and 4 others seriously burned.

1967 A leaking pipeline released 30,000 barrels (4,800 m³) of JP-4 grade jet fuel in Wilmington, California on June 30. There was no fire.

1967 On August 5, a leaking gas main forced 5 homes to be evacuated in Queens, New York.

1967 On August 10, a gas main that had been capped the day before leaked natural gas into a concession stand in Bamberg, South Carolina. An explosion of the gas was likely caused by an electrical spark, but the 6:40 am time likely prevented any injuries.

1967 A road construction machine ruptured an 18-inch Plantation Pipeline on September 25 in Akron, Alabama, spilling more than 5,000 gallons of gasoline. The gasoline had to be burned off to eliminate it.

1968 On the night of January 8, a City Water crew in Reading, Pennsylvania snagged a 3/4 inch gas line, causing it to pull out of a gas main 14 feet away. About 2 hours later, there was an explosion that destroyed 2 nearby semidetached homes, killing 9 people in those structures.

1968 A petroleum products pipeline was discovered to be leaking on January 27, near Kokomo, Mississippi. Damage to cotton crops and water wells was discovered soon afterward.

Richmond, Indiana explosion: On April 6, 1968, natural gas leaking from a pipeline in Richmond, Indiana built up in a sporting goods store and exploded. Gunpowder in that store exploded later on. 42 people were killed, 150 were injured, and 15 buildings destroyed.

1968 On April 15, gasoline odor was detected at a drinking fountain in Glendale, California. The water well that fed the fountain was determined to be contaminated from an 8-inch pipeline that was leaking. Between 100,000 and 250,000 US gallons (950,000 L) of gasoline were leaked into the local groundwater.

1968 On May 29, a bulldozer ruptured a 1-inch gas service line at a children's nursery in Hapeville, Georgia. The bulldozer operator was unable to find the shutoff valve for the gas line, and shortly after there was an explosion and fire. Seven children and two adults were killed, and three children were seriously injured in the accident.

1968 An 8-inch propane pipeline rupture in a landslide ruptured near Plainfield, Ohio on June 1. 4 different vehicles later drove into the vapor cloud, causing them to stall. One of the vehicle drivers tried to restart their vehicle, igniting the vapor cloud. 2 people were killed, 3 others injured by burns, and 7 buildings and 7 vehicles were destroyed.

1968 On July 26, a worker was burned by a natural gas fire while working on a Sunoco gas pipeline in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

1968 A contractor laying a new pipeline broke an old pipeline in Norwalk, Ohio on August 7, spilling gasoline for 4 hours into the Huron River.

1968 On August 22, a 16-inch gasoline pipeline ruptured at General Mitchell Field, spilling almost 200,000 US gallons (760,000 L) of gasoline, and forcing closure of one runway. Previous damage to the pipeline by heavy equipment working in the area was identified as the cause of the rupture.

1968 A coal company digging machine hit an 8-inch LPG pipeline in Fulton County, Illinois on September 3, killing one person and injuring 4 others.

1968 2 teen boys shooting a rifle ignited gasoline leaking from a petroleum pipeline pumping station near Midland, Pennsylvania on November 3. A large brush fire ensued. Both boys had moderate burns. A stuck relief valve on the pipeline was the cause of the leakge.

1968 A MAPCO LPG pipeline, near Yutan, Nebraska ruptured on December 5. Repair crews responded to the pipeline rupture, and thought LPG vapors were dispersed, but ignited the vapor cloud by driving into it. Five repairmen were killed. After the accident, the Nebraska State Fire Marshal ordered MAPCO to reduce its operating pressure, and to hydrostatic retest 52 miles (84 km) of that pipeline. During the tests, 195 longitudinal seams failed.

1968 On December 18, a 30-inch gas pipeline exploded and burned at a gas processing plant in Gibson, Louisiana. One plant worker was injured.

1969 On January 3, a gas explosion hit under a Manhattan borough street in New York City, New York, followed by a number of other gas explosions. 300 families were evacuated, and streets were cracked for 4 blocks. Difficulties of interconnected gas mains caused a 7 delay in shutting down the gas in the area.

1969 On January 13, a Buckeye Partners 22-inch crude oil pipeline ruptured in Lima, Ohio, spilling 1,000 to 2,000 barrels of oil on a street and into the sewer system. 8,500 people were evacuated. The crude caught fire, damaging the sewerage treatment plant. Cracks from welding were blamed for the failure.

1969 A leaking crude oil pipeline caused a slick 35 miles (56 km) long in the Dry Creek near Greybull, Wyoming on February 24.

1969 A 10-inch pipeline carrying aviation gasoline was ruptured by explosives on March 17 in Canyon, California The fuel caught fire shortly after that.

1969 On April 18, a gas explosion destroyed a home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, killing 2 children. Damage by a contractor to the gas lines and gas mains in the area was suspected as the cause.

1969 On May 6, a gas pipeline in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that had been moved, was undergoing pressure testing when a cap on it blew off, hitting and rupturing another nearby gas pipeline. That pipeline exploded and burned, killing 1 worker, injuring 9 other workers, and damaging 3 homes.

1969 The overpressure of a low pressure natural gas distribution system in Gary, Indiana caused numerous small fires and explosions. A gas company worker's errors allowed much higher than normal gas pressure in a gas distribution system. 56 square blocks were evacuated, 7 people were injured, 6 homes destroyed, and 19 other homes damaged. Later, The National Transportation Safety Board called for upgraded gas pipeline safety standards.(June 3, 1969)

1969 On September 9, a converted natural gas pipeline running at 789 psi near Houston, Texas ruptured, causing a massive fire. Construction work downstream of the accident led to a pressure build up that caused the rupture. 7 people were injured, 13 homes were destroyed, and 11 other homes damaged. Some of the homes were within 25 feet of the pipeline. The closest valves on this pipeline took 90 minutes to close.

1969 On September 23, a bulldozer being used as part of high tension power line construction hit a gas transmission pipeline in Proctor, West Virginia. The gas exploded and burned, injuring 6 of the electrical line construction crew. Another bulldozer had also hit a gas pipeline in the same area some months before, killing another worker.

1969 On November 19, telephone company contractors installing an underground cable hit a 10-inch gas pipeline in Vandyne, Wisconsin. Gas at 750 psi escaped, and ignited about 45 minutes later, killing one of the contractors, and injuring 3 others.

1969 On December 25, a land leveler ruptured a 22-inch natural gas transmission pipeline in Hermiston, Oregon. Gas at 600 psi sprayed from the pipeline. A warning sign about the existence of the gas pipeline was 10 feet (3.0 m) away from the rupture site.

1970–1974

1970 On January 11, a home exploded in Bowling Green, Kentucky, killing a man. Contractor damage to a gas line was suspected.

1970 On January 17, workers from Buckeye Partners ignited a fire to burn off petroleum from a leaking pipeline near Warren, Ohio. The fire grew out of control for several hours, requiring 100 firefighters to help contain the blaze. One pipeline employee was injured.

1970 A leak 2 inch natural gas main exploded in Houma, Louisiana on January 24, killing 2 gas company workers, one firefighter, injuring 28 others, and demolishing half a block of downtown buildings. The workers were attempting to repair the gas line.

1970 On February 5, a jet fuel pipeline leaked, and contaminated 50 to 60 acres of farm and pasture land near Lakeland, Florida. Some wildlife was killed, and a small fire broke out in the fuel.

1970 An 8-inch pipeline broke near Wauseon, Ohio on April 19, spilling Number 2 fuel oil into the Maumee River, and endangering the water supply for several cities for a time.

1970 Early on September 2, residents of Jacksonville, Maryland, detected gasoline odors and noticed gasoline in a small creek flowing beneath a nearby road. Because fumes were still present in the late afternoon of September 2, a resident notified Colonial Pipeline at 6:19 p.m. about the situation. About 12 hours later, on the morning of September 3, an explosion and fire occurred in a ditch in which contractor personnel for Colonial were manually digging to further expose the pipeline & catch gasoline trickling from the ground. Five persons were injured, none fatally. The NTSB later pointed out that workers had failed to use a flammable vapor percent detector during the work. The leak point was found 4 days later. The failure resulted in a release of 30,186 gallons (718 barrels) of gasoline and kerosene.

1970 On September 7, a pipeline leaked thousands of gallons of gasoline onto farmland near Ontario, Oregon. Roads were closed in the area until the gasoline was removed.

1970 The 1970 Propane vapor cloud explosion in Port Hudson. On December 9, 1970, a Phillips Petroleum Company propane pipeline leaked, in Franklin County, Missouri. The leak led a to propane cloud explosion, with a force estimated up to 50 tons of TNT. The NTSB cited past external and internal corrosion issues, and poor welds on the uncoated pipeline as concerns.

1970 Explosion of a 30-inch 1100 psi inlet natural gas pipeline, bringing offshore natural gas into a gas drying plant in southern Louisiana. Two plant personnel were killed. Rupture was at a junction of a 12-inch gas line to the 30-inch main line. (December 1970)

1970 A restaurant owner opened a gas line valve in New York, New York, not knowing that part of the gas line was open and unconnected. The gas in the building exploded, killing 15 people, & injuring more than 60 others. (December 11, 1970)

1970 On December 17, a Mid-Valley pipeline leaked, spilling 250,000 gallons of crude oil onto that companies' land in Dayton, Ohio. There were no injuries or fire.

1970 On December 28, a 12-inch pipeline ruptured in Jackson, Wisconsin, spilling 200 barrels (32 m³) of fuel oil into a wildlife sanctuary.

1971 A faulty valve on a 3-inch natural gas pipeline was suspected of causing a gas leak that resulted in 3 separate explosions, including a house explosion in Lambertville, New Jersey that killed 7 people.

1971 On April 17, a road grader hit a gas transmission pipeline in Mississippi, result in fatal burns to the grader operator. Later, it was found the pipeline only gad 5 to 6 inched of soil cover in the area.

1971 On June 5, an ammonia pipeline failed near Floral, Arkansas, releasing 80 tons of ammonia. A 6-year-old boy had to be hospitalized, cattle were killed or blinded, and 10,000 acres of trees had leaf scorching from the ammonia. Delays were made in notifying Arkansas State Department of Pollution Control and Ecology.

1971 2 gas explosions occurred in North Richland Hills, Texas, on October 4. Gas migrated into 2 homes from leaking gas pipes.

1971 A gas company repair crew was overcome in a service vault on November 17, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 2 workmen were overcome initially, and 4 others attempting to rescue them were also overcome by gas asphyxiation. All 6 died.

1972 On January 7, a huge explosion and fire occurred on a 24-inch gas transmission pipeline west of Centerville, Iowa. The fire was visible for far around. There were no injuries or major property damage.

1972 The second pipeline leak in a month into the Tippecanoe River in Indiana on a Buckeye Pipeline company (now Buckeye Partners ) line hit on January 12. The Buckeye Pipeline was owned by the bankrupt Penn Central Railroad, preventing money from being spent on repairs. One EPA official stated "they know they have a leaky system".

1972 On January 11, a 10-inch pipeline ruptured in Clinton, Montana, spilling 3,000 barrels (480 m³) of diesel fuel, with some of it reaching the Clark Fork River.

1972 The rupture of a 20-inch gas pipeline shut down most of the gas supply for Joplin, Missouri on January 28. An estimated 25,000 people were affected.

1972 During the blowdown of a dehydrator, LPG fumes caught fire at Conway, Kansas on January 29, killing a pipeline company worker.

1972 A Colonial Pipeline pipeline ruptured in Cobb County, Georgia on February 2, spilling about 2,000 gallons of fuel oil into the Chattahoochee River upstream of a water intake for the city of Atlanta. Much work went into keeping the spill from the water intake. There were no injuries.

1972 On February 12, a Conoco pipeline rupture spilled 16,000 US gallons (61,000 L) of diesel fuel into the Spokane River near Spokane, Washington.

1972 On March 24, a 2-inch steel gas main was pulled out of a compression coupling, at Annandale, Virginia, causing a leak. Natural gas later exploded, killing 3 people, injuring one other person, and, destroying 2 homes.

1972 On June 15, a crew was welding on a gas main in Bryan, Ohio that had been shut off, when someone inadvertently opened a valve that fed gas into that main. The gas ignited, and exploded, serious injuring 2 workers.

1972 A 12-inch diameter high pressure propane pipeline, near Butler, Alabama, was ruptured by a road grader. A short time after the line was ruptured, a car drove into the vapor cloud. The car stalled, and trying to restart it was suspected to have ignited the vapor cloud, killing four people. (June 20, 1972)

1972 A gasoline pipeline ruptured and ignited at a Plantation Pipeline Terminal in Bremen, Georgia on September 6. For a time, there were fears the fire might spread to nearby fuel storage tanks, but the fire was limited to the pipeline.

1972 On October 10, a crude oil spill was spotted coming from a leaking oil pipeline off of Grand Isle, Louisiana. About 8,000 barrel of crude were spilled.

1972 On October 10, a Texas-New Mexico Pipeline Company crude oil pipeline ruptured near Shiprock, New Mexico, spilling 285,000 US gallons (1,080,000 L) of crude oil into the San Juan River, polluting it for 100 miles. Later, it was discovered that the pipeline company had increased pressure on the pipeline before the rupture to make up for an earlier pipeline shut down.

1972 On October 30, a bulldozer working on a power company construction project ruptured a gas main in Lake City, Minnesota. Leaking gas accumulated in, then exploded, in a nearby variety store, killing 6 and injuring 9.

1972 A leak in a weld on a 36-inch gas transmission pipeline on November 18 in Bend, Oregon forced the shutdown of gas service to 3,000 customers.

1973 On January 10, an abandoned farm near Bellingham, Washington was coated in crude oil when a Trans-Mountain 16 inch pipeline failed. Over 300,000 gallons of crude were recovered.

1973 A cracked gas main leaked in Adamsville, Alabama, on February 7. The escaping gas exploded, killing 3 people and injuring 2 others. A string of other gas main cracking incidents occurred in this city, killing one other person, and injuring t2 others.

1973 Installation of a sewer was suspected of damaging a gas line in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania on February 21. Leaking gas later exploded in an apartment building, killing 5 people, injuring 22 others, and destroying the building.

1973 In Austin, Texas, a 19-inch natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline ruptured due to an improper weld. A passing truck appeared to set off a vapor cloud explosion and fire. Six people were killed, and 2 others injured. (February 22, 1973)

1973 On May 2, a Yellowstone Pipeline 10-inch line ruptured in Murray, Idaho, causing a mist of diesel fuel to cover homes and trailers. About 170,000 gallons of fuel were spilled. Some of the fuel reached a nearby creek. There was no fire.

1973 Improper sampling procedures on an LPG pipeline killed one worker and injured another from freezing at Dayton, Ohio on May 3.

1973 On June 2, an Exxon 12 inch crude oil pipeline started leaking at the Atchafalaya River Near Melville, Louisiana.

1973 In the summer, a pipeline ruptured in Diamond, Louisiana. The escaping gas fumes were ignited by a lawnmower, killing 2 people.

1973 A Buckeye Partners pipeline failed near Findlay, Ohio on June 27, spill about 150,000 US gallons (570,000 L) of jet aviation fuel into the Ottawa Creek and the Blanchard River, killing fish & plants. A failed gasket caused the spill.

1973 On August 29, an 8-inch gas pipeline failed in Memphis, Tennessee, forcing over 100 people to evacuate the area. There was no fire.

1973 A crude oil pipeline ruptured in Los Angeles, California on October 18. Crude flowed along several streets for a time.

1973 On November 13, a Buckeye Partners pipeline leaked, spilling gasoline into Marion Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania creek.

1973 On December 4, a pipeline break releases 31,000 barrels (4,900 m³) of oil near Argyle, Minnesota. The cause was a failure in a longitudinal weld.

1973 On December 6, a pump station on an ammonia pipeline near Conway, Kansas, was started against a closed valve, and the pipeline failed in a previously damaged section. Two persons who drove through the ammonia vapors were hospitalized; several rural residents were evacuated from the area; and 89,796 US gallons (339,910 L) of anhydrous ammonia were lost.

1974 A 22-inch natural gas transmission pipeline failed in Prairie du Rocher, Illinois on January 2. The resulting fire caused no serious damage, but 7,000 people in the area were left without gas heating for several subfreezing days.

1974 On January 25, a pipeline failed near Liberty, Texas, spilling about 200 barrels of oil into the Trinity River.

1974 On March 2, a 30-inch gas pipeline failed at 797 pounds pressure inside a 34-inch casing pipe under a road near Monroe, Louisiana. 10 acres of forest were burned, but there were no injuries or deaths. A substandard girth weld was the cause. The failure of automatic valves on the pipeline to close upon a pressure drop were also cited in contributing to the size of the accident.

1974 A gas transmission pipeline ruptured near Farmington, New Mexico on March 15, killing a family of 3 in a truck driving nearby when the gas ignited. Corrosion along the longitudinal seem weld of the pipe section caused the failure.

1974 A gas line in a commercial building in New York, New York, was ruptured by falling equipment in a basement on April 22. The escaping gas later exploded, injuring more than 70 people.

1974 A previously damaged gas main ruptured in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 3, causing an explosion that killed 2, and caused extensive damage to 4 row homes. Earlier plumbing work was suspect to have caused the gas line damage.

1974 On May 21, a 6-inch gas-gathering pipeline, ruptured at the edge of a rural road south of Meridian, Mississippi. Three vehicles entered the area which contained the escaping gas, and stalled near the rupture. The gas ignited at 10:05 p.m., and five persons died as a result. The 3 vehicles were destroyed and 40 acres (160,000 m²) of woodland were burned. Although less than 4 years old, the 6-inch pipe had corroded internally and had been embrittled by hydrogen.

1974 A 30-inch Transcontinental Pipeline gas transmission pipeline failed and gas ignited near Bealeton, Virginia, on June 9, from hydrogen stress cracking. Failure alarms at the nearest upstream gas compressor station did not activate, and the pipeline failure was first noticed by a compressor station employee happening to see the large fire from the pipeline rupture.

1974 In July, A Lakehead 34 inch pipeline burst near Bemidji, Minnesota, spilling between 125,000 and 210,000 gallons of crude oil.

1974 On August 13, an ammonia pipeline failed near Hutchinson, Kansas after a pump station was started against a closed valve. 3 police officers were treated for ammonia inhalation; approximately 200 persons were evacuated from the area of the vapors; trees, lawns, shrubbery, and crops were chemically burned; and an estimated 11,000 fish were killed. It was found that this pipeline had exceeded the maximum operating pressure before failure.

1974 September 3, a contractor working to install curb and gutter in the community of Dale, Wisconsin pulled a gas line apart underneath the town's bank. Gas seeped into the bank's basement and exploded, destroying the bank and the neighboring post office. A bank manager preparing to open the bank for the afternoon was killed, and another resident was seriously injured.

1974 On September 14, a propane pipeline to an underground storage cavern failed in Griffith, Indiana. The propane later caught fire. 1,000 residents were evacuated during the incident.

1974 A 12-inch gas gathering pipeline exploded and burned near Meta, Kentucky on November 24. There were no injuries reported. Acts of previous vandalism against the pipeline company had happened before.

1974 A crew repairing a leaking crude oil pipeline near Abilene, Texas, were overcome by sour crude oil fumes on December 1. Six of the repair crew died. The leak was cause by improper welding.

References

List of pipeline accidents in the United States (1950–1974) Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

1950s

1960s

1970–1974

References