NORTHERN PIPELINE CO.

Five employees burned in gas line fire

At approximately 12:30 p.m. on June 27, 1988, Employees #1 through #5 were worki ng in the bell hole with an 8 in. main natural gas line. One employee was cuttin g the end cap from a line, which was closed with a stopple valve 24 in. away. Af ter the first cut was made and the torch had been shut off, the employee was goi ng to make an outside bevel cut to connect a reducer and weld a 6 in. distributi on gas line. But the stopple valve let go and a 50 ft high fire shot 12 ft out o f the pipe. Employees #1 and #5, who were all working nearby, were hospitalized with burns.