Shut-Off Valve Could Have Saved San Bruno Homes From Blast
SAN BRUNO (AP) -- An Associated Press investigation has found that damage from a California pipeline explosion could have been reduced if the line had been equipped with a type of shut-off valve federal safety investigators have recommended for decades.
Many residents questioned why it took 89 minutes to shut off the tower of flame from the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. gas transmission line in suburban San Bruno. Eight were killed, dozens injured and 55 homes left uninhabitable.
Experts say the fire could have been extinguished within minutes if automatic or remotely-operated valves were in place.
The accident highlights a troubling pattern: A pipeline explodes and federal investigators call for safety improvements—but the government leaves it largely to industry to make safety decisions.
The result: Safety measures are adopted sporadically—if at all.
(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
