List of pipeline accidents in the United States in 1995

The following is a list of pipeline accidents in the United States in 1995. It is one of several lists of U.S. pipeline accidents. See also: list of natural gas and oil production accidents in the United States.

Incidents

This is not a complete list of all pipeline accidents. For natural gas alone, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a United States Department of Transportation agency, has collected data on more than 3,200 accidents deemed serious or significant since 1987.

A "significant incident" results in any of the following consequences:

• Fatality or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization.
• $50,000 or more in total costs, measured in 1984 dollars.
• Liquid releases of five or more barrels (42 US gal/barrel).
• Releases resulting in an unintentional fire or explosion.

PHMSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) post-incident data and results of investigations into accidents involving pipelines that carry a variety of products, including natural gas, oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, carbon dioxide, and other substances. Occasionally pipelines are re-purposed to carry different products. ^[1]

The following incidents occurred during 1995:

• 1995 Since starting operations in 1954 until 1995, Yellowstone Pipeline had 71 leaks along the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, spilling 3,500,000 US gallons (13,000,000 L) of petroleum products. Eventually, the Flathead refused to sign a new lease with Yellowstone. ^[2]
• 1995 A 26-inch gas transmission pipeline ruptured and burned near Castle Rock, Washington on March 6. There were no injuries. ^[3]
• 1995 On March 20, a natural gas transmission pipeline leaked and burned near Chipola, Louisiana. There were no injuries reported. ^[4]
• 1995 On March 27, a bulldozer operator ruptured a 40-inch gas transmission pipeline in Huntersville, North Carolina, causing an explosion. The operator was knocked off the bulldozer, then was run over by the driverless bulldozer. ^[5]
• 1995 On March 30, a Koch Industries pipeline ruptured in the parking lot of a church in Port Lavaca, Texas, spilling oil and benzine. Businesses nearby were evacuated. About 100 gallons of the mix was spilled. The failure was caused by Koch employees testing the pipeline under pressure, who thought the pipeline was full of only water. ^[6]
• 1995 Two Native Tribes of the Flathead Nation shut down the Right of Way agreements of Yellowstone Pipeline in Montana on April 21. Past spills on Tribal lands were cited as the reason. In 1999, it was revealed that Yellowstone had 78 leaks in the previous 45 years. ^{[7] [8]}
• 1995 On May 12, a Sunoco pipeline leaked from excavation damage, in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. About 14,000 gallons of petroleum product was spilled. ^[9]
• 1995 On December 2, 3 contractors were killed, and another injured, when a vacuum used to control flammable fumes accidentally reversed during welding at a pipeline facility near McCamey, Texas. ^{[10] [11]}
• 1995 A bulldozer hit a 16-inch gas pipeline in North Attleboro, Massachusetts on December 9, forcing evacuations of a nearby shopping mall. An estimated 40,000 people were evacuated. ^[12]
• 1995 On December 19, a gas explosion at a twin dwelling in Norristown, Pennsylvania, killed 2 people and injured another person. Gas had migrated from a crack in a 6-inch cast iron gas main in the street. ^[10]

References

1. Data sets of PHMSA Pipeline Safety-Flagged Incidents for 1986-2001, 2002-2009, and 2010-2017 can be downloaded from the tab by that name on the PHMSA's Pipeline Incident Flagged Files page at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/data-and-statistics/pipeline/pipeline-incident-flagged-files Archived December 13, 2019, at the Wayback Machine , accessed 2018.01.10. PHMSA Corrective Action Orders are at https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/reports/enforce/CAO_opid_0.html Archived March 27, 2019, at the Wayback Machine . PHMSA Pipeline Failure Investigation Reports are at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/safety-reports/pipeline-failure-investigation-reports Archived May 24, 2019, at the Wayback Machine . NTSB Pipeline Accident Reports are at https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/pipeline.aspx Archived January 1, 2020, at the Wayback Machine .
2. "A pipeline to the past". Missoula News. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
3. "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
4. Loup, Rich (March 20, 1995). "Gas line explodes *** Blast frightens rural residents; no injuries noted". Advocate.^{[ dead link ]}
5. "Star-News - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
6. "The Victoria Advocate - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
7. "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
8. "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
10. "Pipeline Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 16, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
11. "Pipeline blast victim dies". The Odessa American. December 17, 1995. p. 1.
12. Berg, Christian; Lieberman, Ellen (December 10, 1995). "Massive gas leak forces mall evacuation *A bulldozer ruptures a buried pipe near the Emerald Square Mall, releasing a jet of high-pressure gas that disrupts 20,000 people". Providence Journal.^{[ dead link ]}