Newest Report Says 'Multiple Breakdowns' Led To Gas Explosions

ANDOVER, MA -- The failure of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts to use a professional engineer to draw plans for replacement of pipes and gas mains may have contributed to the September 13 gas explosions in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence, according to an urgent safety report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board Thursday.

But the report, which included recommendations on policy changes, didn't limit its call for change to the utility. Among its recommendations was a call for Massachusetts to end its practice of exempting utility engineers from licensing requirements.

Among the report's finding and recommendations::

• Columbia Gas should have had field personnel ready to monitor pressures and shut off gas in the event of an over-pressure situation. An earlier NTSB report said over-pressurization in gas lines was the likely cause of the explosions, which killed one, injured more than 20 and damaged or destoyred 131 buildings in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence.
• The engineer that prepared the plans for work being done in Lawrence on the day of explosions failed to take into account a critical pressure sensor, which allowed the over-pressurization to 12 times normal levels.
• The engineer, the report said "had limited knowledge about the importance of the regulator-sensing lines or the consequences of losing the capability to sense the main pressure via the regulator-sensing lines."
• Columbia Gas, the report said, had stopped using field technicians on job sites several years ago. "If a pressure anomaly occurred, the technician could quickly act to prevent an overpressurization action," the report said. "Columbia Gas offered no explanation as to why this procedure was phased out."

Columbia Gas said it was still reviewing the report's findings and recommendations, but noted that it had already started to address some of the issues raised in the report.

The release of the report brought a quick reaction from officials. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Wareen and Edward Markey of Massachusetts issued a joint release. The Senators, along with Representatives Niki Tsongas (D-MA) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) are scheduled to hold a Congressional field hearing on the explosions in Lawrence, Massachusetts on November 26.

"Columbia Gas failed to keep track of what projects were being done on their gas system. It failed to prioritize safety when conducting those projects. And it failed its customers, the residents of the Merrimack Valley, and the public trust," Warren and Markey said.

More coverage:

• For Returning Gas Explosion Victims, Home Isn't Always Sweet
• After AG's Guidance, Confusion Lingers For Landlords, Tenants
• Woman Says Columbia Gas Workers Wrote Racial Slur On Pipe
• Moratoriums On Gas Work Hurting State's Real Estate Market
• Report: Columbia OK'd Work That Led To Explosions

Never miss another local news story: Get free local news alerts right to your inbox.

Top: The house on Chickering Road in Lawrence where 18-year-old Leonel Rondon was killed on September 13. Rondon was sitting in the car parked in the driveway when a gas explosion destroyed the house and toppled the chimney onto the car. Photo by Dave Copeland/Patch.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).