MEC&F Expert Engineers : 09/13/15

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Top 10 vehicles stolen in August 2015 in Houston, Texas


FILE PHOTO
FILE PHOTO (AP Photo)
The Houston Police Department released a list of the 10 most reported stolen vehicles in August 2015. Did your vehicle make the list?
    1. Ford Trucks: 174
    2. Chevrolet Trucks: 172
    3. Honda Cars: 86

    4. Dodge Trucks: 66
    5. Toyota Cars: 55
    6. GMC Trucks: 44
    7. Chevrolet Cars: 43
    8. Nissan Cars: 42
    9. Honda Trucks: 35
    10. Ford Cars: 30

Equipment explosion and fire at Waldwick PSE&G substation causes evacuations in New Jersey


CeFaan Kim has the latest details from Waldwick.
Nearly 40 families are back in their homes after an explosion and fire at an electrical substation in New Jersey.  The transformers exploded due to overheating or defective components.

The area surrounding a PSE&G substation on Hopper Avenue in Waldwick was evacuated Sunday morning after the explosion shook nearby homes. The flames are currently contained, but firefighters remain at the scene.

The utility says the fire was caused by an equipment failure.

The fire, reported at about 10:40 a.m., sent thick, black smoke into the air over the area. Foam was used to contain the blaze, and residents were advised to close their windows. Mayor Tom Giordino says the fire was never at any time toxic to the residents of the community.



"I thought something hit my house. I thought a car hit the house. It rattled everything - me and the dog jumped a mile," said resident Andrew Riccardo.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, with the substation right by the New Jersey Transit train tracks, service was disrupted for part of the day. As of Sunday night, service was back up and running, and is expected to be okay for the Monday morning commute.

Engine parts from DC-9 fall from plane, land in Central Fresno, damage car







The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after engine parts fell out of a plane and landed on a Fresno street.






Updated 56 mins ago
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after engine parts fell out of a plane and landed on a Fresno street.

Neighbors say chunks of metal fell from the sky and landed in the area of Swift and Barton avenues Sunday afternoon. The debris even broke at least one car's back window.



A spokesperson for the FAA says a DC-9 left the runway at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, reported an engine failure and then returned to the same runway. It appears some engine parts fell off the plane during its short time in the air.

Contributing to the deadly crash of RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY 390, registration: N50PM was the pilot's impairment from the use of illicit drugs.



TSB Identification: ERA14FA073

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, December 17, 2013 in Atlanta, GA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/08/2015
Aircraft: RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY 390, registration: N50PM
Injuries: 2 Fatal.



NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot and passenger departed on a night personal flight. A review of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript revealed that, immediately after departure, the passenger asked the pilot if he had turned on the heat. The pilot subsequently informed the tower air traffic controller that he needed to return to the airport. The controller then cleared the airplane to land and asked the pilot if he needed assistance. 


The pilot replied “negative” and did not declare an emergency. The pilot acknowledged to the passenger that it was hot in the cabin. The CVR recorded the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) issue 11 warnings, including obstacle, terrain, and stall warnings; these warnings occurred while the airplane was on the downwind leg for the airport. 

The airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain and was consumed by postimpact fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. During the attempted return to the airport, possibly to resolve a cabin heat problem, the pilot was operating in a high workload environment due to, in part, his maneuvering visually at low altitude in the traffic pattern at night, acquiring inbound traffic, and being distracted by the reported high cabin temperature and multiple EGPWS alerts. 

The passenger was seated in the right front seat and in the immediate vicinity of the flight controls, but no evidence was found indicating that she was operating the flight controls during the flight. Although the pilot had a history of coronary artery disease, the autopsy found no evidence of a recent cardiac event, and an analysis of the CVR data revealed that the pilot was awake, speaking, and not complaining of chest pain or shortness of breath; therefore, it is unlikely that the pilot’s cardiac condition contributed to the accident. 

Toxicological testing detected several prescription medications in the pilot’s blood, lung, and liver, including one to treat his heart disease; however, it is unlikely that any of these medications resulted in impairment. Although the testing revealed that the pilot had used marijuana at some time before the accident, insufficient evidence existed to determine whether the pilot was impaired by its use at the time of the accident.

Toxicology testing also detected methylone in the pilot’s blood. Methylone is a stimulant similar to cocaine and Ecstasy, and its effects can include relaxation, euphoria, and excited calm, and it can cause acute changes in cognitive performance and impair information processing. Given the level of methylone (0.34 ug/ml) detected in the pilot’s blood, it is likely that the pilot was impaired at the time of the accident. The pilot’s drug impairment likely contributed to his failure to maintain control of the airplane.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: 


The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering the airplane in the traffic pattern at night. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment from the use of illicit drugs.

Drunk or drugged Canton, Mass teen dies after being run over, dragged by his own Jeep










UPDATED  September 12, 2015


CANTON, Mass. —


Canton police say a 16-year-old boy died after being run over and dragged by his own Jeep Friday evening.


Police said they received a 911 call around 6:10 p.m. reporting a car had crashed into 25 Chapel St. The Jeep crashed through a fence before hitting the home. Police identified the victim as Paul O'Brien, who lived across the street from the crash site.

"It appears right now that the vehicle was in reverse and he was possibly trying to gain control of the vehicle and his door was still open," Canton police Chief Ken Berkowitz said.

O'Brien was transported to Norwood Hospital where he died from his injuries.

Canton High School opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday where support staff are available to support the student body.

Massachusetts State Police spent several hours reconstructing the crash and trying to figure out what path the Jeep took and how the teen was thrown from the driver's seat.


Massachusetts, Irish, Drunk, Dead.  Period.  He will never do that again.

A 27-year-old female bicyclist died after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver in the City Island Bridge in New York






Updated at 8:24 PM EDT on Saturday, Sep 12, 2015 


CITY ISLAND BRIDGE, NY

A 27-year-old woman died after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding a bicycle across City Island Bridge Friday night, authorities said.

According to police, the woman was heading west on the bridge just before midnight, when she was hit by a white Hyundai sedan. The driver fled the scene of the crash.


The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead, officials said. Her identity has yet to be released pending family notification.

No arrests have been made and an investigation is ongoing.


Driving at midnight in that difficult roadway it is almost the same as seeking to be killed.  Drivers drive like maniacs there.  Hopefully they will catch the guy who fled the scene - and then he will regret that he/she left the victim.

1 teen driver killed after his pickup truck left the roadway and struck a tree on NJ-55 in Deptford, New Jersey



South Jersey man killed when pickup hits tree

  By Matt Gray | For NJ.com
 
on September 12, 2015



DEPTFORD TWP. — 


A Sewell man was killed early Friday in a one-vehicle accident on Route 55, according to state police.
 

John P. Dempsey (Smith Funeral Home)

John P. Dempsey, 19, was traveling northbound shortly before 6 a.m. when he lost control of his Chevy pickup, according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams.

The truck left the roadway and struck a tree at mile marker 56.8, Williams said.

Dempsey was unresponsive when police and EMTs arrived on the scene. He was transported to Cooper University Hospital, Camden, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police do not yet know why Dempsey lost control of his truck, Williams said. The crash remains under investigation.  This are of NJ-55 is fairly straight; it is four lane divided highway.  Most likely this young man was speeding or fell asleep or was on drugs/drunk.  We shall see what the autopsy results show.




Hydroplaning or aquaplaning happens when the tires of a vehicle lose traction on a wet roadway, causing the car to drift like a sled until the wheels gain traction again. As a person might imagine, this situation is extremely dangerous, since the vehicle is out of the driver's control while it slides. During rainy or slushy weather, drivers need to be aware of the risk of hydroplaning, and it is important for them to drive carefully in these conditions to avoid this dangerous driving situation.  When tires travel too quickly, they cannot push water away quickly enough, and they may start skidding on the surface.

In rainy conditions, people should drive slowly, because high speeds increase the danger of hydroplaning. Drivers should also avoid pools of water and puddles on the roads, as they can be deeper than they look and could cause problems with traction. Drivers should be especially careful on bridges, since water often pools on one section of the bridge. It is also important to keep tires properly inflated, which increases the potential for traction.

If a driver's vehicle starts hydroplaning, s/he should not jerk on the wheel or slam on the brakes. While a car has no traction, the driver has little control over its trajectory, and these actions can cause the vehicle to move violently and potentially dangerously.

When the rear end of a vehicle or aircraft slides back and forth, this is known as fishtailing. Typically, fishtailing is the result of a loss of driver control.  The risk of fishtailing also increases at high speeds, or when a driver brakes very suddenly.

Based on the evidence we have to date, this young man slammed onto his breaks because he was speeding, he lost control on a very wide highway early in the morning and slammed onto trees.  The skid marks show that he applied sudden break pressure, most likely to alleviate the wet road conditions and his speed.  As a result, he lost control and slammed onto the trees.  There is question that he was speeding for the road conditions.  People speed in that area and certainly at 6:00 am in the morning.

Our opinion is that he was going too fast for the wet road conditions.  Millions of people drove during that day (September 11, 2015) but very few got killed slamming their vehicles onto trees in a single vehicle accident.  He was a young fellow, obviously inexperienced in the very dangerous road conditions when it rains.  We do not want to also eliminate the possibility of drugs or alcohol or medical condition.  That is why we said we must wait to see what the autopsy results show and not to rush into conclusions.

Although his young life was taken, it could be used as a reminder to the rest of us to drive safely during wet road conditions.  People drive like maniacs in this state and other states, constantly violating speed laws, signaling laws, and so on.
 

 Dempsey, a 2014 Clearview Regional High School graduate, was working in an apprenticeship for Steamfitters Local 420 in Philadelphia, according to his obituary. He was currently working for Five Star Mechanical in Philadelphia.

Many of his former Clearview classmates took to social media to express their shock at Dempsey's death and to send condolences to his family. Several described him as a good friend and a happy, caring individual.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Smith Funeral Home, 47 Main St., Mantua. Viewings will be held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday and 10-11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Female driver killed, 3 injured in a 5-vehicle wreck on Route 288 in Virginia


Posted  September 12, 2015

by Asley Adams


CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- 


Route 288 has reopened after a multi-vehicle accident left one person dead Saturday afternoon in Chesterfield County.

According to troopers, there were three separate crashes involving five vehicles near the ramp to Courthouse Road around 3 p.m.

Sgt. Steve Vick with Virginia State Police said the chain-reaction crash started when a 2006 Ford Taurus lost control, hit the left guardrail and then came across the travel lanes before hitting right guardrail and stopping on the shoulder.

"A 2011 Nissan Titan stopped on the right shoulder with emergency flashers activated to assist the Ford. A 2011 Toyota Corolla approached the scene, lost control and struck the Nissan in the rear pushing the Nissan into the Ford," Vick wrote. "The driver of the Nissan who was outside of the vehicle was struck by his truck and knocked under the Ford. A 2010 Acura was slowing for the first two crashes when it was struck by a 2003 Volvo in the rear."

The female driver of the Toyota, who was wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. Her name will be released pending next-of-kin notification.

Vick said the driver of the Ford Taurus, a 17-year-old female from Chesterfield, and the driver of the Nissan, 43-year-old David P. Faughnan of Chester and a 16-year-old male passenger were taken to Chippenham Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The drivers of the Volvo and Acura were not hurt.

All lanes of Route 288 south were closed and traffic was backed up for more than four miles around 5:30 p.m.

Traffic was diverted to Courthouse Road and drivers were asked to use an alternate route.

VDOT said the highway reopened just after 7 p.m.

State police believe the wet weather was to blame.

Stay with WTVR.com for updates on this developing story.

Photo Gallery View Gallery (3 images)


THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS: Driver killed while changing tire in Virginia


Richmond man dies while changing tire in Hull Street Road crash
Posted 11:15 am, September 13, 2015, by Web Staff, Updated at 11:28am, September 13, 2015


AMELIA COUNTY, Va. -- Troopers have identified the man who died Saturday night after being struck by a car while changing a tire on Hull Street road.

Sgt. Steve Vick with Virginia State Police said the accident happened around 9 p.m. just east of Route 698 in Amelia County.

Two men were changing the tire of a 1996 Mercury Tracer on the right shoulder of the road. A 2006 Ford van was also pulled over with emergency flashers to give the men changing the tires more light. Shortly after, a 2007 Pontiac struck the back of the Ford and then hit the Mercury and one of the men changing the tire., said Sgt. Vick.

Travious Donque Garrison, 26, of Richmond died at the scene. The driver of the Pontiac, Spencer Ballou, was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Troopers say he was not wearing a seat belt. No one in the Ford van was injured.

The crash remains under investigation. Charges are pending.

Stay with WTVR.com and watch CBS 6 News for updates on this developing story.


Fatal wreck on Route 360 (SOURCE: CBS 6 Photojournalist Chris Jenkins.)

Coast Guard aircrew flies 900 miles to airdrop medical supplies to cruise ship Carnival Spirit



September 13th, 2015 

 


HONOLULU — A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew flew more than 900 miles to airdrop a package containing blood and medical supplies to a cruise ship northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, Wednesday.

Medical personnel from the Carnival Spirit contacted Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu at approximately 12:30 p.m. Monday requesting medical assistance for an ailing passenger. The ship’s on board doctor treated the 67-year-old woman for medical complications and determined that the woman’s condition would be stabilized with additional blood.

The cruise line and the Coast Guard coordinated with the blood bank at Tripler Army Medical Center to provide six units of blood for the patient. The blood was transported to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point where it was packaged in a shatter-proof rescue container.

The Hercules aircrew was on scene with the Carnival Spirit at approximately 8 a.m. After assessing the ship’s layout, the aircrew flew over top of the cruise ship dropping a trail line directly on the bow, followed by the rescue container which landed in the water and was pulled aboard by the ship’s crew. The blood was retrieved in good condition.

“As the cruise ship comes closer to the Hawaiian Islands we will have additional Coast Guard assets available to medically evacuate the patient if needed,” said Petty Officer 1stClass Stacie Hudson, a rescue coordinator with the JRCC.

The Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane has been a multi mission work horse for the Coast Guard for more than 20 years HC-130 Hercules is scheduled to be replaced by the more efficient and technologically advanced HC-130 J.

BSEE inspecting Anadarko’s Heidelberg platform in Ingleside, Texas.



Gulf of Mexico Region Conducts Pre-Production Inspection and Training Exercise September 8, 2015
09/11/2015

INGLESIDE, Texas - A ten member team of BSEE engineers from the Houma and New Orleans District offices spent three days inspecting Anadarko’s Heidelberg platform in Ingleside, Texas. The team conducted the pre-production inspection Aug. 31 – Sept. 2 of the production process system topsides (deck and equipment) to be installed later this year on the truss spar hull already moored on location in the Gulf of Mexico.

The inspection doubled as a training exercise for newer team members. Divided into two groups, each led by an experienced BSEE engineer, the inspection team verified that all safety equipment and production processes were in place according to Federal regulations. This project is unique as the second structure in a “design one, build two” model; it shares the same design as the Lucius platform that began producing at the beginning of the year. The Heidelberg platform is currently being completed inside the Kiewit Offshore Services yard in Ingleside, Texas.

On the final day of the inspection the team met with Heidelberg platform personnel to review their findings. BSEE approval is one of the final steps before the platform can be installed and put into production. The Heidelberg is slated for the Green Canyon area, Block 859, in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 139 miles off the coast of Louisiana in more than 5300 feet of water.





GAS EXPLOSIONS CAUSED DURING THE EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM MARIHUANA PLANTS ARE ON THE RISE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES



GAS EXPLOSIONS CAUSED DURING THE EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM MARIHUANA PLANTS ARE ON THE RISE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES



The Rise of Hash Oil Extraction Explosions

The national media is increasingly reporting on cases of explosions due to the production of honey oil, also known as hash oil or dabs, across the country. The production process uses butane, and explosions from honey oil production have blown walls out, moved houses off foundations, and caused people severe burns.   

While most home labs are small, there are reports of bulk operations in which hundreds of cans of butane can be on-site. Any size lab is a serious danger; first responders should familiarize themselves with the signs of such labs: butane canisters, Pyrex dishes, marijuana, coffee filters, and an extraction vessel that could either be glass or a PVC pipe combination that resembles a pipe bomb.



It seems that every week or so there is a gas explosion inside somebody’s home or inside a car or a bathroom that have been caused during the extraction of oils from marihuana plants.  Just two days ago, another such explosion occurred in Tigard, Oregon.  In that explosion, two men are in serious condition after police say they blew up a gas station explosion in Tigard early Sunday morning while trying to make hash oil with marijuana and butane. 

The explosion caused significant damage to the 76 gas station bathroom on Greenburg Road, and fire extended through a false ceiling.  The two Tigard men who were making hash oil inside bathroom initially tried to put out the fire themselves and they suffered severe burns; they are listed in serious condition.




Investigators determined that a heat gun used to evaporate the butane caused the fire.  Hash oil, also known as honey oil or shatter, is heated and inhaled in what's known as "dabbing”, a popular form of smoking marijuana.  To make it, highly flammable butane or another suitable solvent such as isopropyl alcohol, is poured through marijuana to extract the cannabinoids, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and other chemicals from the plant matter.  

 Hash oil is typically made by packing the castoff leaves and stems of pot plants into a pipe and pouring the highly flammable butane through it.  The solvent is then evaporated, leaving a golden color sticky residue that resembles oil or honey.  Of course these butane vapors linger in the room where the extraction took place.  Only some pretty stupid people would attempt such a process inside an unventilated room.



It typically doesn't take much during the extraction process to cause an explosion, especially in an unventilated small space such as bathroom or inside a car.  Anything from static electricity to a wall socket can spark a potentially deadly explosion.  Or, the flame from the heat gun to subsequently cook the oil can explode the lingering butane fumes.



In another major case that occurred last year, seven Seattle, WA people accused of causing explosions while extracting hash oil from marijuana were charged Tuesday in federal court.  The explosions -- which happened in Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle and Puyallup -- injured a number of bystanders and caused thousands of dollars in damage. 

Without proper ventilation, butane fumes can linger. All it takes is a spark of static electricity to ignite a room.  Former Bellevue Mayor Nan Campbell was hospitalized for a broken pelvis she suffered trying to escape the flames.  She later died following complications after her hospitalization, according to prosecutors.  Two other apartment residents suffered shattered bones as they had to jump from their upper level apartments.

These deadly explosions are reckless and preventable acts.  Unfortunately, as marijuana cultivation activities increase, explosions will continue.  This is a dangerous threat. 



FEMA Alert on the Fire and Explosion Hazards
Last year, FEMA posted an alert in its emergency services bulletin titled “Hash Oil Explosions Increasing Across US.” Alongside more quotidian warnings of cyber terrorism and industrial vapor clouds, it described an uptick in explosions at apartments and hotel rooms involving “a process using butane to extract and concentrate compounds from marijuana,” destructive incidents that FEMA warned could even be mistaken for pipe bomb or meth lab explosions.

A clear, golden brown cannabis derivative also known as honey oil, shatter, wax and “earwax,” butane hash oil (BHO) has some distinct advantages over traditional marijuana: It has very little smell, either in its solid form or when vaporized, is very portable, and can achieve intense effects with small amounts.  A pound of marijuana typically generates 1/10 to 1/15 of a pound of hash oil.

BHO has been gaining in popularity in the past three years.  But as its popularity grows, so do the number of hash oil enthusiasts eager to attempt their own homebrew BHO, a process that usually involves the highly flammable solvent butane or isopropyl alcohol.  The result in a number of cases, as the FEMA bulletin notes, has been “fires and explosions [that] have blown out windowswalls, and caused numerous burn injuries.”


Hash oil is typically produced by filling a cylindrical glass or stainless steel canister with pot (Bed Bath and Beyond’s metal turkey basters are a popular choice), and flooding the canister with a solvent — usually butane — that strips the plant matter of its cannabinoid-containing oils. 

The resulting mixture of psychotropic plant oil and chemicals is then purified to remove traces of the solvent. One common method of butane removal includes boiling it off in a hot water bath, while another involves the use of a vacuum pump and vacuum chamber to lower butane’s boiling point, pulling butane from the oil.

What makes it dangerous is not so much the extraction process itself, but rather the problem of improper butane ventilation.  Butane is highly flammable and it tends to sink, meaning that if you use it indoors or don’t ventilate well, you’ll run into serious trouble.  Let some butane puddle in your living room, throw in a thoughtless spark from a cigarette, stove, or — dare I suggest — bong hit, and suddenly your apartment is missing a wall.

That’s allegedly what happened in January, when three people were injured after a hash oil extraction gone wrong blew through the walls of a San Diego hotel.  A few months earlier, an Oregon man suffered burns in a similar explosion that blew out the windows in his apartment and sent him to the hospital. 

Although it’s perfectly possible to make hash oil safely, such explosions are the result of a relatively small number of hash oil producers who fail to take even the most basic precautions.  The number one precaution is to never make oil indoors.



Hash-oil operation suspected in fatal San Bernardino County explosion


First responders were on the scene of what was initially believed to be a gas explosion at a home in the community of Muscoy in San Bernardino County. The blast killed one person and left two others in critical condition.
Authorities who say they found significant amounts of marijuana and butane in the debris of a blown-up home believe a hash-oil operation may have caused a massive explosion that killed a man and injured two others.
Those inside the makeshift home may have been producing "butane honey oil" when it exploded, said Cindy Bachman, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Firefighters sifting through the ruins found the man's remains in what appeared to be a basement, she said.



The explosion occurred at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a home located in the rear of a property in the 3000 block of Gray Street in Muscoy.
Firefighters found a man outside the home with severe burns, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. A woman was partially covered by debris when firefighters found her.
She suffered a serious head injury as well as blunt-force trauma, fire officials said.
The basement area sustained significant damage during the blast, causing the poorly constructed home to collapsed into it.
"The blast was so significant that the freshly paved road in the front of the surrounding homes actually buckled in several places," the Fire Department said in a statement.
Firefighters first believed the explosion was caused by a gas leak, but later determined it stemmed from illegal drug activity.
"Butane honey oil” is a waxy substance that can produce a strong high when inhaled. It doesn't have the potent odor of marijuana.
Because hash oil has gained popularity, some beginners have attempted to make it in their homes. But that has resulted in several explosions, officials say.
Two men accused of operating a hash-oil extraction laboratory were burned in a similar explosion in March in the city of Commerce.
A suspected drug lab at a home in Malibu exploded in April, injuring one person, authorities said.

Suspected 'hash oil' lab explodes in Malibu home; 1 man burned


A suspected drug lab at a home in Malibu caught fire and exploded Tuesday, injuring one person who had to be transported to the hospital via helicopter, authorities said.
Firefighters responded to the home in the 1200 block of Encinal Canyon Road shortly before 6:15 p.m. to find it fully engulfed in flames, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Authorities later discovered the substance “honey oil” -- a type of marijuana oil -- at the residence, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Fray Lupian told KTLA-TV.
A 25-year-old man who was burned in the explosion and ensuing fire was airlifted to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center to be treated for his injuries, authorities said.
The man, who was not immediately identified, would likely be arrested on drug-related charges after recovering, Lupian said.

A hazardous materials crew was still at the scene shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to the fire department.
“Butane honey oil,” also called “wax,” has been a growing trend in the marijuana market, officials said. Dabs of it can be vaporized and inhaled without the smoke and pungent odor of marijuana, an act called “dabbing.” The method produces a stronger high even among those who have strong tolerance to cannabis.

The widespread popularity of the waxy substance has led many to attempt the extraction method, often resulting in injuries.
Two men suspected of operating what authorities said was a “butane honey oil extraction laboratory,” in which marijuana is turned into the "hash oil," were burned in a similar explosion last month in the city of Commerce.


One of several butane bottles located inside the home may have exploded and caused the fire, authorities said.
Earlier this month in Glendale, police reported that they busted a hash oil operation, saying that the potential for a large explosion at the lab was "huge."


Hash Oil Lab Explosion Destroys Apartment
Two people were severely burned in the explosion, according to sheriff's officials

Friday, Feb 21, 2014 • Updated at 6:07 AM PST
Two people were rushed to the hospital after a reported hash oil explosion in El Cajon. 
The San Miguel Fire District received calls about an explosion just after 2:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Brabham Street. 
When they arrived, they found one apartment destroyed and several others damaged. Two apartment residents were severely burned and were taken to the hospital.
The San Diego Sheriff's Department said investigators found a hash oil lab had exploded. 
Residents of the apartment had to be evacuated for a time. 
Sheriff's deputies and fire officials remained on scene to investigate.



Two men injured in suspected 'hash oil' explosion in Commerce


Los Angeles County fire hazmat technician Terry Wilkinson surveys the damage from an explosion caused by a suspected drug manufacturing process in the city of Commerce. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Two men suffered burn-related injuries in a suspected hash oil explosion in the city of Commerce, authorities said.
Firefighters and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 8:10 p.m. to the 2300 block of Ayers Avenue regarding a call of a tree or transformer on fire, but when they arrived, they discovered that a home was ablaze.
The extent of the burn injuries suffered by the two men -- ages 18 and 21 -- were not immediately known.
It's the illegality of this stuff that leads idiots to try to make it in "secret" labs. legalize it, there's no more reason to hide it, and it'll be done safely, simply because nobody wants to blow themselves up if they can help it.

Arson investigators determined that the men -- who were not immediately identified -- had allegedly been operating a “butane honey oil extraction laboratory,” in which marijuana is turned into “hash oil” or “honey oil.”
One of several butane bottles located inside the home may have exploded and caused the fire, authorities said.



“Butane honey oil,” also called “wax,” has been a growing trend in the marijuana market.  Dabs of it can be vaporized and inhaled without the smoke and pungent odor of weed, an act called “dabbing.” The method produces a stronger high even among those who have strong tolerance to cannabis.
The widespread popularity of the waxy substance has led many to attempt the extraction method, often resulting in injuries.



In April, a 22-year-old man suffered second- and third-degree burns on his face and hands when an explosion tore through his home in Cottonwood.
Shasta County authorities told the Los Angeles Times the man was allegedly using butane to extract oil from marijuana leaves. At the time, it was the third explosion for the county in the last calendar year.
Authorities said the city of Commerce hash oil explosion caused about $300,000 in damage to the single-story home.
Narcotics-related charges are pending for the two men who remain hospitalized, the sheriff’s department said.
An investigation into the alleged drug lab remained ongoing. 


THE LOWDOWN ON GAS COMPRESSOR BLOWDOWN: THE DIRTY TRUTH OF UNREPORTABLE EMISSIONS



THE LOWDOWN ON GAS COMPRESSOR BLOWDOWN: THE DIRTY TRUTH OF UNREPORTABLE EMISSIONS


Compressors must periodically be taken off-line for maintenance, operational stand-by, or emergency shut down testing, and as a result, methane may be released to the atmosphere from a number of sources.  When compressor units are shut down, typically the high pressure gas remaining within the compressors and associated piping between  isolation valves is vented to the atmosphere (‘blowdown’) or to a flare.  In addition to blowdown emissions, a depressurized system may continue to leak gas from faulty or improperly sealed unit isolation valves.

The recent notice of violation and proposed civil penalty from the US Department of Transportation against Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, LLC (Spectra Energy) is a reminder of what has been going on for many years in the gas compression business as far as emissions from the gas compressors.  We attach in its entirety the Notice of Violation (NOV) letter sent to Spectra Energy from DOT just to see the magnitude of the methane emissions associated with compressor blowdown:  one of the dirtiest aspect of these operations, along with pigging, pipe leaks, spills and so on.   

These pipelines have been protected by the feds under the authority of the Natural Gas Act that has allowed them to operate under the radar of pretty much every environmental law.  As these stations have become closer to the public (or the public coming closer to them by building homes near the pipelines) more attention has been paid on their operations, and noises and blowdown emissions.  


Here are some facts regarding methane losses from compressor stations at natural gas pipelines.

Methane Losses from Compressor Stations

There are currently about 1,650 compressor stations in the U.S. transmission sector;
1.   There are approximately 9,000 compressors inside these stations;
2.   About 50 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per year is lost from compressor fugitives (does not include the lube oil being emitted – and it is sizable);
3.   7.0 Bcf per year is lost from compressor venting

It should be noted that these are the transmission line compressor emission; there are an addition 40,000 compressors in the oil and gas production and processing phase that precedes the transmission/storage state.
The problem we are facing is that the gas compressors are cycled on- and offline to match the fluctuating gas demand.   

We have both peak and base load compressors.  The standard practice is to blow down (depressurize) off-line compressors.  On average, one blowdown vents 15 Mcf gas to the atmosphere.  Just to give you a perspective as to why the DOT decided to fine Spectra Energy is that the blowdown at the Maine station provided in the letter below was calculated by Spectra itself to be 70 Mcf – and they refused to reported it, claiming it was a maintenance issue.

We have found that simple changes in operating practices and in the design of blowdown systems can save money and significantly reduce methane emissions by keeping systems fully or partially pressurized during shutdown. Though pressurized systems may also leak from the closed blowdown valve and from reciprocating compressor rod packing, total emissions can be significantly reduced.  Four options for reducing emissions when taking compressors off-line are available. These include:

1.   Keeping compressors pressurized when off-line.
2.   Connecting blowdown vent lines to the fuel gas system and recovering all, or a portion, of the vented gas to the fuel gas system.
3.   Installing static seals on compressor rod packing.
4.   Installing ejectors on compressor blowdown vent lines.

Keeping compressors fully pressurized when off-line achieves immediate payback—there are no capital costs and emissions are avoided by reducing the net leakage rate. Routing blowdown vent lines to the fuel gas system or to a lower pressure gas line reduces fuel costs for the compressor or other facility equipment, in addition  to avoiding blowdown emissions. Static seals installed on compression rods eliminate gas leaking back through the rod packing while a compressor is shutdown under pressure.  

An ejector uses the discharge of an adjacent compressor as motive to pump blowdown or leaked gas from a shut down compressor into the suction of an operating compressor or a fuel gas system. Benefits of these practices include fewer bulk gas releases, lower leak rates, and lower most cases of less than a year.



NOTICE OF PROBABLE VIOLATION AND PROPOSED CIVIL PENALTY

OVERNIGHT EXPRESS MAIL

October 27, 2014

Mr. J. Drake, VP Operations & EHS
Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, LLC (Spectra Energy) 5400 Westheimer Court
Houston, TX 77056

CPF 1-2014-1011

Dear Mr. Drake:
On January 2, 2014, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code contacted Spectra Energy regarding a release of gas at the Maritimes and Northeast Searsmont Compressor Station located in Searsmont, Maine. Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, LLC is a subsidiary of Spectra Energy. According to information obtained from Spectra Energy, the gas release occurred during the evening of December 31, 2013. The release was caused by the unintentional opening of a station emergency shutdown system (ESD) blow down valve which caused gas from the pipeline to be released through the ESD system. The total amount of gas loss during this incident was calculated by Spectra to be 70 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF).

As a result of PHMSA’s investigation into this release of gas, it appears that you have committed a probable violation of the Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The item inspected and the probable violation is:

1.                  §191.5(a)  Immediate notice of certain incidents.
(a)     At the earliest practicable moment following discovery, each operator shall give notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section of each incident as defined in §191.3.
Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline failed to notify the National Response Center (NRC) at the earliest practicable moment following the discovery of the natural gas release that occurred the evening of December 31, 2013, at the Maritime Compressor Station located in Searsmont, Maine. In a September 6, 2002, (67 FR 57060) advisory bulletin, “PHMSA advised owners and operators of gas and hazardous liquids pipeline systems and LNG facilities that, ‘at the earliest practicable moment,’ usually means one-
urs after discovery of the incident.”
urs after discovery of the incident.”


Section §191.5 of the code of Federal Regulation, requires pipeline owners and operators to notify the
NRC by telephone or electronically at the earliest practicable moment following discovery of an incident as defined in Section §191.3.  Section §191.3 defines incident as any of the following events:

2.          An event that involves a release of gas from a pipeline, or of liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, refrigerant gas, or gas from an LNG facility, and that results in one or more of the following consequences:
(a)       A death, or personal injury necessitating in-patient hospitalization;
(b)         Estimated property damage of $50,000 or more, including loss to the operator and others, or both, but excluding cost of gas lost;
(c)            Unintentional estimated gas loss of three million cubic feet or more;
The total amount of gas loss for this incident was calculated by Spectra to be 70 MMSCF, which exceeds the reporting criteria of 3 MMSCF for an incident as outlined in 191.3 (1)(iii). Thus, the incident should have been reported to the NRC at the earliest practicable moment following discovery. As of January 2, 2014 when PHMSA Eastern Region staff inquired about the release, no notification had been made to the NRC regarding this natural gas release.
On January 2, 2014, PHMSA Headquarters received an inquiry from the Editorial Director of the Penobscot Bay Pilot, a local newspaper in Maine, regarding a possible release of natural gas from the Maritimes Pipeline near Searsmont during the evening of December 31, 2013. The PHSMA Eastern Region office contacted Spectra Energy, the operator of the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, and confirmed that a release of gas did occur due to the unintended opening of a station emergency shutdown (ESD) valve at the Maritimes and Northeast Searsmont Compressor Station. PHMSA Eastern Region staff also confirmed that the event had not been reported to the National Response Center.
In an email to Eastern Region staff from Spectra date January 3, 2014, Spectra stated:

“The gas release was caused by the unintended opening of a station emergency shutdown (ESD) blowdown valve at Maritimes & Northeast Searsmont Compressor Station on Dec. 31 around midnight. The ESD System was not activated and a station isolation valve did not close, resulting in the pipeline venting through the station ESD system. The affected section of pipeline was isolated by the control room using mainline remote operated valves located upstream and downstream of the station. The station was then subsequently isolated from the mainline by Spectra responding personnel and the mainline was restored to normal operations. We are investigating the cause of the unintended opening of the ESD blowdown valve and the subsequent non-closure of the station isolation valve.
Since the only gas release was through the ESD system vent, this was not classified as a reportable incident. Thus no NRC report was required. This event does meet the definition of an Abnormal Operating Condition (unintended valve operation), and the required investigation is in progress. Any necessary corrective actions will be implemented as determined by the investigation.”

During a subsequent meeting with Spectra on January 15, 2014, attended by PHMSA and Spectra personnel, Spectra again stated that the event at Searsmont was an intentional release of gas and not a reportable incident due to the fact that the gas released through the ESD vent. Spectra stated that they consider any release through a relief device an intentional release because the relief device is designed and functions to relieve gas pressure in the system. An incident per 191.3 requires an “unintentional estimated gas loss of three million cubic feet or more.”
PHMSA Eastern Region views Spectra’s interpretation of the code to be incorrect and views this event
as an unintentional release caused by equipment failure.

Proposed Civil Penalty
Under 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $200,000 per violation per day the violation persists up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for a related series of violations. For violations occurring prior to January 4, 2012, the maximum penalty may not exceed $100,000 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $1,000,000 for a related series of violations. The Compliance Officer has reviewed the circumstances and supporting documentation involved in the above probable violation(s) and has recommended that you be preliminarily assessed a civil penalty of
$34,500 as follows:
Item number                         PENALTY 1                                     $34,500
Response to this Notice
Enclosed as part of this Notice is a document entitled Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Compliance Proceedings. Please refer to this document and note the response options. All material you submit in response to this enforcement action may be made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of the document with the portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b). If you do not respond within 30 days of receipt of this Notice, this constitutes a waiver of your right to contest the allegations in this Notice and authorizes the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety to find facts as alleged in this Notice without further notice to you and to issue a Final Order.

Please submit all correspondence in this matter to Byron Coy, PE, Director, PHMSA Eastern Region, 820 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 103, W. Trenton, NJ 08628. Please refer to CPF 1-2014-1011 on each document you submit and please, whenever possible, provide a signed PDF copy in electronic format. Smaller files may be emailed to Byron.Coy@dot.gov. Larger files should be sent on a CD accompanied by the original paper copy to the Eastern Region Office.

Additionally, if you choose to respond to this (or any other case), please ensure that any response letter pertains solely to one CPF case number.
Sincerely,
Byron Coy
Director, Eastern Region
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Enclosures:       Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Compliance Proceedings