A series of cascading failures, including a corroded steam pipe and a defective natural gas fitting, caused a deadly explosion at a Pennsylvania chocolate factory in 2023, killing seven workers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed Tuesday that R.M. Palmer Co. failed to evacuate workers despite employees reporting a gas smell before the blast. The explosion leveled one building, heavily damaged another, and caused $42 million in damages. The NTSB criticized the factory’s lack of natural gas emergency procedures and inadequate employee training, which left workers unaware of the hazards.
The company’s emergency response policy has since been revised, but NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy called the updates insufficient. “You know the difference between the smell of natural gas and chocolate. she emphasized. Palmer stated it reflects daily on the tragedy and remains committed to improving safety, but critics argue the company’s changes still fall short of ensuring worker protection in emergencies.
Investigators found that a cracked steam pipe raised the temperature of a UGI gas fitting until it also cracked, allowing gas to seep underground and ignite in the factory’s basement. UGI, the utility providing gas to the factory, had previously been alerted to the steam pipe’s presence during a 2021 pipeline replacement but failed to assess its risks. The NTSB also found delays in shutting off the gas after the explosion due to improperly marked valves, one of which was paved over.
The NTSB faulted UGI for neglecting to remediate a defective service tee prone to cracking, made from plastic piping still in use nationwide. Board member J. Todd Inman compared the Palmer explosion to similar past incidents, lamenting the industry’s failure to address long-known hazards. The NTSB recommended installing natural gas leak alarms in homes and workplaces to prevent such tragedies in the future.
original source: The Associated Press shared through OHS Canada – https://www.ohscanada.com/deadly-chocolate-factory-explosion-caused-by-faulty-gas-fitting-safety-board-finds/
