About 70 production workers and 35 office staff at R.M. Palmer Co. were working in two adjacent buildings at the time of the blast.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 1:19AMCascading failures involving a corroded steam pipe and a defective natural gas fitting caused a powerful explosion inkilling seven workers when the company failed to evacuate, a federal safety board said Tuesday.
"Contributing to the accident's severity was R.M. Palmer Company's insufficient emergency response procedures and training of its employees, who did not understand the hazard and did not evacuate the buildings before the explosion," the National Transportation Safety Board said in its statement of probable cause, approved Tuesday at the board's meeting in Washington, D.C.
An old Palmer steam pipe that was already badly corroded finally cracked, allowing steam to escape and raising the temperature of UGI's gas fitting - so much so that it, too, cracked, federal safety investigators found. Gas then migrated underground and made its way into the basement of Palmer's second building, where it exploded. Investigators couldn't determine the ignition source.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NTSB releases preliminary report on deadly 6ABC news chopper crashThe NTSB released a preliminary report on the 6ABC news helicopter crash that killed pilot Monroe Smith and photographer Chris Dougherty.
Read more »
Deputies track down deadly hit-and-run suspect using license plate reading camerasDeputies said his girlfriend took a pretty bad tumble, but was able to call 911 and describe the suspect's vehicle. Then, HCSO spotted it with FLOCK cameras.
Read more »
Man arrested, charged in deadly West Houston stabbing of his sister and niece29-year-old Kendrick Rayvon Fisher is charged with capital murder.
Read more »
Live blog: Deadly Israeli air strike hits occupied West Bank city of JeninIsrael's war in Gaza — now in its 422nd day — has killed at least 44,429 Palestinians and left more than 105,250 wounded. In Lebanon, Israel has agreed to a ceasefire deal after killing 3,961 people since October 2023.
Read more »
Bessemer man charged in deadly shooting outside 2 businesses on Birmingham’s Third Ave. WestJaylin Rashad Horn, 25, of Bessemer, is charged with capital murder in the Oct. 5 slaying of 25-year-old Johndarius Decareious Ward.
Read more »
Suspects sought in deadly Birmingham shooting outside Third Avenue West Shell stationCity officials previously labeled the business a “launching pad for criminal activity.”
Read more »