Elected officials invoked the memory of six men who died in the Kleen Energy plant explosion at a press conference on Tuesday.“We can hopefully say that the six men who died last February did not die in vain, and that this tragedy will be the last of its kind,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.
DeLauro helped announce a new standard to regulate the procedure that went horribly wrong in February of 2010, killing the workers and injuring some 50 others.
Highly pressurized natural gas was used to purge pipes at the under-construction plant on River Road. It ignited, and the explosion was felt dozens of miles away. The National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit which provides codes and standards on fire risk, investigated how the ‘gas blow’ was conducted. “What we learned was there really wasn’t a standard for this operation” said Jim Shannon, the NFPA’s president.
The new NFPA standard says flammable gas should not be used to clear pipes of debris. “This is a clear message to the industry that gas blows are inherently unsafe”, said Chemical Safety Board chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso. Other options, such as compressed air or inert nitrogen gas are available.“The tragedy at Kleen Energy was preventable.”
The state of Connecticut has since outlawed the use of flammable gas in such operations, but it is the only state to do so. Congressman Joe Courtney said “As a nation we are shifting towards natural gas”, so it is important that a national standard is set.
Courtney and DeLauro worked with the NFPA to have the standard written and released quickly. The standard does not have the force of law, but NFPA says their standards are often referenced or adapted as laws. Shannon said industry and manufacturers are already citing the standard.
In answer to questions about ultimate accountability for the blast, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said civil and criminal investigations were still ongoing, and evidence was still being held.
Highly pressurized natural gas was used to purge pipes at the under-construction plant on River Road. It ignited, and the explosion was felt dozens of miles away. The National Fire Protection Association, a non-profit which provides codes and standards on fire risk, investigated how the ‘gas blow’ was conducted. “What we learned was there really wasn’t a standard for this operation” said Jim Shannon, the NFPA’s president.
The new NFPA standard says flammable gas should not be used to clear pipes of debris. “This is a clear message to the industry that gas blows are inherently unsafe”, said Chemical Safety Board chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso. Other options, such as compressed air or inert nitrogen gas are available.“The tragedy at Kleen Energy was preventable.”
The state of Connecticut has since outlawed the use of flammable gas in such operations, but it is the only state to do so. Congressman Joe Courtney said “As a nation we are shifting towards natural gas”, so it is important that a national standard is set.
Courtney and DeLauro worked with the NFPA to have the standard written and released quickly. The standard does not have the force of law, but NFPA says their standards are often referenced or adapted as laws. Shannon said industry and manufacturers are already citing the standard.
In answer to questions about ultimate accountability for the blast, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said civil and criminal investigations were still ongoing, and evidence was still being held.
Also in attendance at the city hall press conference were State Representatives Matt Lesser and Joe Serra, and State Senator Paul R. Doyle.
The six men killed were: Raymond Dobratz Jr., 58, Old Saybrook; Peter C. Chepulis, 48, Thomaston; Ronald Crabb, 42, Colchester; Chris Walters, 48, Florissant, Mo; Roy Rushton, Hamilton, Ontario; and Kenneth Haskell, 37, Durham, N.H.
