UGI UTILITIES, INC

Incident Narrative

PURSUANT TO THE NTSB'S FEB 22, 2024 FACTUAL RECORD PUBLICATION IN ITS WEST READING INVESTIGATION (ID PLD23LR002), UGI HEREBY PROVIDES A SUPPLEMENTAL UPDATE TO THIS INCIDENT REPORT. A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WILL BE FILED WHEN A CAUSE HAS BEEN DETERMINED AND THE NTSB ISSUES ITS FINAL REPORT ON THE MATTER. ON FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2023, AT 4:55 P.M. EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A NATURAL GAS-FUELED EXPLOSION AND FIRE OCCURRED AT R. M. PALMER COMPANY (PALMER) CANDY FACTORY BUILDING 2 AT 17 SOUTH 2ND AVENUE IN WEST READING, PENNSYLVANIA. SEVEN EMPLOYEES WERE KILLED AND 11 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. UGI FIRST RESPONDERS BEGAN ARRIVING ONSITE AT 5:19 P.M AND ISOLATED THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SUPPLYING NATURAL GAS TO THE AREA BY 6:15 P.M. MECHANICAL AND VISUAL EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT NATURAL GAS WAS LEAKING FROM A DUPONT ALDYL A SERVICE TEE THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 1982. UGI EXPOSED AND RETIRED THE SERVICE LINE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THIS SERVICE TEE IN 2021 WHEN THE NATURAL GAS METER WAS RELOCATED FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE EXTERIOR OF BUILDING 2. PALMER OWNED SUBSURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE RAN UNDERNEATH THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ALONG CHERRY STREET, BETWEEN PALMER BUILDINGS 1 AND 2 AND INCLUDED A STEAM, CONDENSATE, AND SEVERAL HEATED CHOCOLATE PIPELINES. THE PALMER STEAM PIPE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 23.4 INCHES TO THE WEST AND 15.5 INCHES ABOVE THE 1982 RETIRED TEE (CENTER OF PIPE TO TOP OF TEE). THE STEAM PIPE LAID PERPENDICULAR TO THE GAS MAIN, WITH STEAM FLOWING FROM 77 S. 2ND AVE TO 17 S. 2ND AVE (FROM SOUTH TO NORTH). THE STEAM LINE WAS FOUND TO BE DEFORMED, CORRODED, AND CRACKED ALONG ITS EAST SIDE. THE STEAM LINE CRACK WAS MEASURED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 5-INCHES BY 2-INCHES AT THE 3 O'CLOCK POSITION ON THE STEAM PIPE. A PALMER MECHANIC INDICATED THAT ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, A CHOCOLATE UNLOADER ENTERED THE MAINTENANCE SHOP AROUND 6:00 PM AND TOLD THE MECHANIC THAT HE SMELLED GAS AROUND THE MECHANIC'S CAR. SEVERAL EMPLOYEES WORKING THE SECOND SHIFT IN BUILDING 1 REPORTED THAT THEY SMELLED GAS ON THE DAY OF ACCIDENT. ONE EMPLOYEE REPORTED THAT SHE SMELLED GAS AS EARLY AS 2:58 P.M., AND AT 4 P.M. THREE EMPLOYEES REPORTED THE ODOR TO THE SECOND SHIFT SUPERVISOR BETWEEN 4:20-4:46 P.M. SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES REPORTED THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL THEY COULD EVACUATE FOR FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOB. NO EVACUATION ORDER WAS GIVEN BY PALMER MANAGEMENT FOR BUILDINGS 1 AND 2 PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION. UGI STATES THAT NO CALL WAS MADE TO THEM REGARDING THE SMELL OF GAS ODORANT ON THE DAY BEFORE OR DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. PART A.7 DOES NOT INCLUDE ESTIMATED GAS RELEASED UNINTENTIONALLY PRIOR TO IGNITION AS UGI HAS NO BASIS TO ESTIMATE GAS LOSS PRIOR TO IGNITION AS THE STARTING TIME OF THIS LEAK HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PARTS A.10 AND A.22, HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE INITIAL REPORTING. UGI WILL AMEND THIS SECTION IN ITS FINAL AND SUPPLEMENT REPORT PURSUANT TO THE RELEASE OF THE NTSB'S FINAL REPORT ON THIS MATTER. PART A.21.C WAS ESTIMATED BASED UPON A SERVICE TAP DIAMETER OF 0.807 INCHES TO ESTIMATE GAS CONSUMED BY THE SUBSEQUENT FIRE.