Vic: Obvious warning signs of Longford disaster: QC says

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-1998
Vic: Obvious warning signs of Longford disaster: QC says

By Heather Gallagher

MELBOURNE, Dec 15 AAP - Very obvious warning signs of an impending disaster occurred some
hours before Essos Longford gas plant fatally exploded in September, a royal commission heard
today.

And although an instruction was given for gas plant number one to be closed down, it was
not clear whether it had ever been carried out, the commission heard.

Commission chairman Sir Daryl Dawson and commissioner Brian Brooks are investigating the
September 25 explosion and fire that crippled the Longford plant in south-eastern Victoria,
killing two workers and cutting the states gas supplies for a fortnight.

Beginning his opening address, the counsel assisting the commissioners, James Judd, QC,
said while the failure of the system was not expected, it did not occur without warning.

"On the contrary, it would appear that for some hours before the incident occurred, GP905
(a crucial heat exchanger in the plant) and other vessels in the immediate vicinity displayed
what in hindsight might be regarded as very obvious warning signs," he said.

These signs indicated the vessels were operating "outside their usual operating parameters
and, indeed, outside the parameters for which they were designed".

Mr Judd said he would call eyewitnesses who would say that late on the morning of the
explosion one of the towers in the plant was uniformly covered in clear white ice, indicating
it had fallen to dangerously low temperatures.

A leak was found in GP905 and it was estimated that between 1,000 to 3,000 litres of liquid
concentrate leaked out.

Plant operator Barry Jessop and an Esso contractor Darren Borthwick discovered the leak at
about 8.30am and noted a drip tray had been placed under the exchanger to catch the liquid.

"They did not notice anyone else in the area, although they regarded the presence of the
drip tray as indicating that someone was already aware of the leak and that it was being
attended to," Mr Judd said.

The gas that escaped from GP905 contacted with heaters creating the explosion.

"At around 12.30pm GP905s steel casing suddenly cracked open at one end, releasing into
the atmosphere with a tremendous force, a violent...and gaseous vapour, ordinarily contained
under very high pressures within the vessel," said Mr Judd.

"That piece of equipment failed with catastrophic consequences. There was a loss of life,
two men were killed - Mr (Ray) Wilson and Mr (John) Lowery, there occurred serious injury to
up to eight other persons, and of course there was the consequence felt by those in Victoria."

As parts of the plant started to fail, the plant supervisor for the day instructed the
plant operator to shut down gas plant number one.

"It remains unclear whether this instruction, if given, was ever carried out," Mr Judd
said.

"Moreover, it is not clear whether a decision was ever made to shut down the whole plant."

Mr Judd said as part of the commissions investigation it would be necessary to scrutinise
the exact timing and sequence of the events.

He also said procedures for shutting down the plant for normal and abnormal conditions
would need to be investigated.

And commissioners would need to determine whether supplying gas had taken a higher priority
than plant management issues, such as maintenance and ultimate safety.

The commission will hear the testimony of four witnesses to the events of September 25
tomorrow.

AAP hmg/er/it/de

KEYWORD: GAS NIGHTLEAD

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