Skip to comments.
NYC building collapse subject of federal probe
Chicago Trib ^
| 3-13-14
| Tribune wire reports
Posted on 03/13/2014 5:18:36 PM PDT by smokingfrog
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-23 next last
Consolidated Edison Inc spokesman Bob McGee said the last time the utility had received a complaint about a gas odor in the neighborhood was in May.
At that time, Con Ed shut off the gas and the building hired its own contractor to fix the leak. On July 3, Con Ed crews returned to the building to certify that repairs were done correctly, McGee said.
On February 10 and February 28, there were "high speed" checks made of the gas pipes, he said.
To: smokingfrog
There were earlier reports that residents had complained during the past week and the day before. Phone records should be examined to either confirm or deny that complaints were filed.
It may be that the Gas company was negligent.
2
posted on
03/13/2014 5:21:11 PM PDT
by
DannyTN
To: smokingfrog
NYC has something like ten times more restaurant inspectors than building inspectors because the restaurant fines are much more lucrative.
Also - I saw an NTSB guy on the news on the scene there yesterday, what jurisdiction could they have for something like this?
3
posted on
03/13/2014 5:41:31 PM PDT
by
capydick
(''Life's tough.......it's even tougher if you're stupid.'')
To: capydick
Debris from the explosion flew up onto the railroad/subway tracks right in front of the building.
4
posted on
03/13/2014 5:44:06 PM PDT
by
stormer
To: capydick
NTSB deals with pipelines.
5
posted on
03/13/2014 6:32:01 PM PDT
by
PghBaldy
(12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
To: DannyTN
I saw a member of the church interviewed who had said she stopped to tell a deli owner about the gas she smelled the night before and he had said he’d have it checked.
Perhaps she should have just called 911 or the gas company directly.
To: PghBaldy
To: 9YearLurker
Gas explosions happen.There is usually no prolonged media investigations about them.
I don't like “gas” power, myself.I grew up with it. If the pilot light goes out...which it often did, I knew what to do. But then again, I also knew better than to smoke at a gas station, or defecate in a river.
I live in Florida, so I don't have to deal with it as much.
I wonder why the people in that neighborhood wouldn't have called the gas company emergency line immediately and repeatedly, upon scenting the odor of gas in the area?
Did they?
Or were they just that stupid... not to know that if you ever smell the gas, there is a potentially lethal leak?
It's one or the other.
They either called or they did not.
Records exist.
8
posted on
03/13/2014 7:00:15 PM PDT
by
sarasmom
(Extortion 17. A large number of Navy SEALs died on that mission. Ask why.)
To: PghBaldy; stormer
Thanks - that explains it!
9
posted on
03/13/2014 7:00:28 PM PDT
by
capydick
(''Life's tough.......it's even tougher if you're stupid.'')
To: DannyTN
It may be that the Gas company was negligent.M That is still no reason not to send in several thousand DHS employees to grope all of the residents before pronouncing the area safe.
10
posted on
03/13/2014 7:55:37 PM PDT
by
FredZarguna
(Das ist nicht nur nicht richtig, es ist nicht einmal falsch!)
To: sarasmom
What was originally reported was that the gas company had been called and just recently done work on the line, then had been called again.
Not sure who’s right and what’s accurate here at this point.
To: FredZarguna
"That is still no reason not to send in several thousand DHS employees to grope all of the residents before pronouncing the area safe."Never "waist" a crisis.
12
posted on
03/14/2014 10:57:26 AM PDT
by
DannyTN
To: 9YearLurker
No mission creep. The NTSB has had jurisdicition over pipeline safety. There use to be a separate division in the NTSB know as the Office of Pipeline Safety or OPS. Many years ago as part of my engineering duties, I did compliance consulting.
13
posted on
03/14/2014 11:06:04 AM PDT
by
PA Engineer
(Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
To: PA Engineer
But are you talking about pipelines like Keystone—or every single gas line into any home across the country?
To: 9YearLurker
15
posted on
03/14/2014 12:51:23 PM PDT
by
PA Engineer
(Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
To: PA Engineer
Huh, I had no idea.
I guess we should never underestimate the reach of the federal government.
To: 9YearLurker
The regulations have developed over the years and generally follow best practices. The problem is the uneven enforcement.
This particular incident caught my eye when ConEd mentioned they had old cast iron mains. In my proffessional opinion all cast iron mains should be replaced. Cast iron may not be as much of an issue with water, but it is a dangerous relic from the times of manufactured gas.
All cast iron sooner or later will experience a corrosion process that results in graphitization. Graphite is left over after the iron has corroded away. That is why old cast iron pipes look new when excavated, but are very brittle.
New York had a very cold winter with a deeper than usual ground freeze. Graphite retains a great deal of ground water and will freeze along with the ground compounding the problem, if not contributing to failures.
Finally, ground heaving during the freezing process will fracture the line.
17
posted on
03/14/2014 1:26:29 PM PDT
by
PA Engineer
(Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
To: PA Engineer
I think NYC has extensive vulnerability with old cast iron pipes.
To: PA Engineer
What is ConEd specifically doing regarding preventative maintenance to replace those old lines in NYC?
I don't live in NY, but there are some gas lines in Florida.
Is there a way for the general public to review records?
19
posted on
03/15/2014 7:42:47 PM PDT
by
sarasmom
(Extortion 17. A large number of Navy SEALs died on that mission. Ask why.)
To: sarasmom
Here is a good resource from the DOT site:
Cast and Wrought Iron Pipeline Inventory
Cast and wrought iron pipe were a legacy of manufactured gas, specifically in the northeast.
The table may take a bit to load and Florida is on there towards the bottom.
20
posted on
03/15/2014 8:10:07 PM PDT
by
PA Engineer
(Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-23 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson