2014 Manhattan Gas Explosion (NTSB Coverage)

NTSB Meeting Covering the 3/12/2014 New York City, NY East Harlem District of Manhattan Gas Explosion

On June 9, 2015, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) held a meeting to discuss the findings and final rulings on the 3/12/2014 New York City, NY East Harlem District of Manhattan Gas Explosion. The final ruling is expected to be released sometime in July.

The NTSB determined two factors contributing to the probable cause of the incident:

• Failure of a defective fuse joint at a service tee
• A breach in the adjacent sewer line that allowed groundwater and soil to flow into the sewer that was left unrepaired since at least 2006, resulting in a loss of support for the gas main, which caused the line to sag; thereby overstressing the defective fusion joint

Recommendations determined through the NTSB meeting outline and follow industry best practices for integrity management, quality work procedures performed by qualified individuals, emergency planning, strategic isolation valve placement, and thorough audit processes on a 5-year basis.

NTSB Official Release:
Gas explosion and subsequent fire
Accident No: DCA14MP002
Accident Type: Office of Railroad, Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Investigations
Location: Manhattan, NY
Date: 3/12/2014

Event
6/09/2015 – Board Meeting
Docket