CHEYENNE — A preliminary report covering the facts of this past weekend’s natural gas pipeline fire should be available to the public within the next 30 days, but a final report could take one to two years, investigators say.
It’s still too early to tell what caused Sunday’s fire in southwestern Laramie County, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spokesman Keith Holloway told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle via email Thursday morning. Investigators are still reviewing the damage caused to railcars, and the cause of the fire is still unknown.
At approximately 1 a.m. Sunday, a natural gas pipeline ruptured near Interstate 80 mile marker 350, west of Cheyenne, sparking a large fire. The flames charred a freight train and lit up the night sky with a glow that could be seen as far away as Loveland, Colorado, officials said.
The pipeline ignited near railcars on a Union Pacific Railroad train, which were carrying hazardous materials, placing responders and the surrounding area at heightened risk, according to a news release.
The train was halted around 2 a.m., and firefighters had the flames under control as of 9 a.m. At no point did the train derail, and no injuries or fatalities were reported, according to officials.
The investigation of the fire was then turned over to the NTSB and Union Pacific Railroad.
“During the on-scene phase of the investigative process, the NTSB does not determine or speculate about the cause of the accident,” Holloway said. “During the on-scene phase, NTSB investigators collect perishable evidence and factual information about the events.”
The NTSB has no role in releasing the identities of any potential accident victims or data regarding potential injuries. That’s handled by local authorities, who say that there have been zero reported injuries or fatalities as a result of the fire.
NTSB investigations cover three primary areas: human factors, the pipeline system and the operating environment.
Investigators are expected to gather information and records such as:
* Human performance data relevant to the accident and response
* Operator qualification and training records
* Witness statements
* Pipeline operating practices and procedures
* Pipeline system maps and historical records
* Relevant pipeline pressures before and during the accident
* Other operational data, such as from the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system
* Pipeline maintenance records
* Pipeline integrity management plans/records
* Pipeline Safety Management System plan/records
* Specific, as-found location of pipeline facilities and nearby structures
* Local environmental conditions including soil conditions for buried pipelines
* Extent and path of released gas or hazardous liquid migration and/or transport
* Weather forecasts and weather around the time of the accident
A preliminary report will be available online within approximately 30 days, containing the facts gathered in the initial phase of the investigation, Holloway said via email.
A probable cause of the accident, along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final accident investigation report, which is expected to be completed in one to two years.