NTSB Report Points to Natural Gas Leak as Catalyst in Chocolate Factory Explosion
NTSB Report Points to Natural Gas Leak as Catalyst in Chocolate Factory Explosion
Natalie Johnson
Posted 07/26/2023
On March 24, 2023, a deadly explosion erupted at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania. The explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant occurred around 4:55 pm, flattening one building and damaging several structures nearby. As a result of the incident 7 people lost their lives, 11 were injured, and 3 families were displaced from their homes. The National Transportation and Safety Board’s (NTSB) most recent report concluded a natural gas leak may have contributed to the chocolate factory explosion.
The NTSB report demonstrated concerns over a leaking DuPont Aldyl A service tee that was installed in 1982. This part is a polyethylene plastic gas pipeline product manufactured by DuPont using a proprietary polymer resin.
The service line to this particular tee was retired in 2021 when UGI Corporation performed work on the natural gas lines at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant. The two natural gas lines were moved from the basement of the building to the outside. During this work, the service line to the 1982 tee was retired, however, the tee remained connected to the natural gas system which was fully pressurized. In addition to a leak found on the 1982 service tee, a leak was also found on the newly installed 2021 service tee.
While investigating the natural gas pipeline, it was noted that the 1982 service tee was located less than 2 feet from subsurface infrastructures that run between the two buildings at the plant. These pipelines include steam, condensate, and heated chocolate pipelines. Federal investigators reported general corrosion and a crack in the steam line.
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Scientists and Engineers at the NTSB Material Laboratory closely examined the 1982 service tee and revealed the tower consisted of an outer shell and a Dupont Delrin® insert. Fractography showed the fracture in the tower started on its inner diameter service.
As seen in the images below, the outer shell fractured longitudinally near the base while the lower portion of the insert fractured transversely near the base. The upper portion of the insert was not recovered from the scene.
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Prior to the incident, two separate organizations noted quality issues pertaining to this particular product. In 2007, the Pipelining and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) added Aldyl A service tees with Delrin® inserts to their list of pipe materials with poor performance histories linked to brittle-like cracking. Additionally, the Gas Piping Technology Committee (GPTC) in conjunction with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) issued a Guide for Gas Transmission, Distribution, and Gathering Pipe Systems in 2022 that also highlighted concerns about the quality of the service tee.
The guide noted that DuPont taping tees with Delrin® polyacetal (homopolymer) inserts installed in gas systems from the 1960s-1980s have low-ductile inner walls that make them susceptible to failure. These organizations recommended the tees be replaced when discovered, noting they can be distinguished by a black gap, male threads, and tan PE body.
Post-accident employee interviews conducted by NTSB investigators corroborated the finding that there was in fact a natural gas leak on the day of the incident. Multiple production employees remembered smelling natural gas while sanitizing equipment and office employees reported they smelled an odor similar to rotten eggs around the same time.
A wrongful death lawsuit claims employees notified Palmer management of a natural gas odor, but management failed to respond appropriately. This claim is part of an ongoing lawsuit where an official ruling has not yet been made.
The NTSB is conducting further investigations to determine the exact cause of the incident, but preliminary reports indicate the chocolate factory explosion and subsequent fires were fueled by natural gas. Findings from the final report will be published on Maintenance World in the next couple of months when the NTSB determines the official cause.
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The manufacturing industry is a crucial contributor to the economy, accounting for over 11% of the total output in the United States. However, many manufacturing companies are currently facing a skills gap, with more open job positions than there are workers ready to fill them. A study conducted by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute predicts that 2.1 million manufacturing positions will go unfilled by 2030, potentially leading to a loss of $1 trillion in GDP for the United States.
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Manufacturing has been a key component to the South Carolina economy in the last 10 years and the state's efforts to improve infrastructure and educate a highly skilled workforce are paying off. The state has been making headlines lately for its attractiveness to corporations around the world.
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The COVID-19 pandemic and recent world events have pushed manufacturing companies to shift their production to the United States in 2023, with 1,8000 companies in the US alone planning to reshore production to the states. While reshoring efforts are ramping up, manufacturers must be wary of the skills gap.
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After nearly 2 months of investigations and a root cause analysis, TC Energy Corp revealed the cause of the oil spill was likely a combination of a welding flaw and bending stress fatigue which resulted in a crack forming and eventually lead to the rupture. The cause of the bending stress is still unclear and remains a focal point of the root cause failure analysis a third-party is conducting.
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On February 20th around 2pm an explosion erupted at the I. Schumann & Co. Foundry in Bedford, Ohio. The foundry recycles scrap metal into bronze and brass ingots and pellets. Fire officials say the cause of the explosion is under investigation by state and federal authorities but it appears the blast originated near a kettle-like piece of equipment which holds molten metals before being poured into molds.
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