Wilmington Natural Gas Explosion and Fire – August 5, 1987

Looking back at the natural gas explosion and flash fire in downtown Wilmington August 5, 1987.

Timeline

On August 5, 1987, Welco Construction and Utilities Company, based in Florence, SC, was excavating in the 4600 block of Market Street. They were installing sanitary sewer lines in preparation for a project to widen Market Street. The company was operating as a subcontractor for Dickerson Carolina Inc. in Castle Hayne, NC.

~11:15 a.m. – Workers moved a Hitachi UH 123 tracked backhoe across gas and water service lines located in front of King’s Laundromat at 4615 Market Street. The movement likely caused a leak the underground six-inch gas line, which carried approximately 60 pounds of pressure.

A worker detected the small of natural gas and also observed the roadway pavement raising up and dirt blowing from underneath. He informed others, including requesting a call to the gas company.

~11:20 a.m – Equipment and men were moved away from the leak site and work was stopped.

First Engine Dispatched at 11:31 a.m.

11:31:10 a.m. – Engine 3 at 3933 Princess Place Drive was dispatched to a gas leak at Market and Kerr.

11:31:33 a.m. – Battalion Chief B. F. Glisson in Car 4 contacted dispatch and told them to notify the North Carolina Natural Gas Company and have them respond to the scene as soon as possible.

11:31:50 a.m. – Engine 3 arrived.

11:31:50 a.m. – Dispatch informed Car 4 that they were notifying the gas company at that time.

Engine 3 officer Lt. L. C. Brown evaluated the gas leak upon their arrival. The leaking gas was drifting to the southeast, toward a restaurant on the opposite side of the street. The engine company then deployed a 1 1/2-inch pre-connected hose line to disperse the fumes. He also asked Car 4 to request another engine company for manpower. Traffic control was also requested.

Second Engine Dispatched at 11:42 a.m.

11:42:53 a.m. – Engine 1 at 20 S. Fourth Street was dispatched to the scene.

11:49:23 a.m. – Engine 1 arrived, delayed due to the traffic gridlock in the area.

Engine 3 found no water pressure at the hydrant in front of Beckers Building Supply, located on the opposite side of the street from the leak to the south. The firefighters instead connected to the hydrant in front of Albemarle Motel, about 500 feet north of the leak. After connecting to the hydrant, Engine 3 started a fog stream of water on the leaking gas.

~11:43 a.m. – The gas company arrived and began attempting to excavate around the pipe, both by hand and using a backhoe.

Lt. Brown later said that gas was shooting about 20 feet into the air. He was asked to shut off the hose line, as it was a hindrance to the excavation operations. He was told by a gas company employee that the danger was over as there was too much gas escaping to ignite. After several reassurances, Lt. Brown directed the hose line to be moved back approximately 35 feet from the leak. During the excavation, the gas company backhoe struck and broke the water line beside the gas pipe. Lt. Brown was again reassured that there was no danger, and notably because the gas line was covered with water.

11:51:46 – Car radioed dispatch to send a water tanker due to the ruptured water main.

11:56:30 – Tanker 4 arrived.

Chief Sandlin Arrived About 12:15 p.m.

~12:15 p.m. – Asst. Chief H. L. Sandlin arrived.

At this time, the gas company was attempting to place a temporary sleeve around the pipe. This was proving difficult due to both the gas fumes and water bubbling up from the broken water main, from the approximately four-foot deep hole. At one point during this operation, gas workers were treated with oxygen by fire department personnel, as the workers were becoming overcome by gas fumes.

Between 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. the broken water main was shut off.

During this time, a joint decision was made by Chief Sandlin and two city Utilities Services Divisions supervisors to bring water pumps to the scene, and pump water out of the hole, to make installing the gas pipe sleeve easier.

Pumping equipment was brought to the scene. Some eight witnesses later stated that the flash fire occurred when one or more small gasoline-powered pumps were started.

Explosion About 1:54 p.m.

~1:54 p.m. – The gas ignited causing a flash fire approximately 40 feet in diameter around the leak.

Eighteen people were injured: firefighters, gas company employees, and city utility workers. Several had clothes and hair catch fire, and they tried to extinguish themselves. Some were assisted by other personnel. One person riding a bicycle nearby was also injured.

“There was a big fireball, and people were running away with their hair on fire,” said one witness as reported by the next day’s newspaper. Others said flames reached over 40 feet high and 20 feet out from the leak. The story also noted “some dived into mud puddles” and “others were taken to nearby El Berta Motor Inn for showers before ambulances took them away. Others were showered with fire hoses on the street.” The story added “scorched and melted clothing and boots that had been cut or peeled from victims were scattered about the area.” [WMS, 8/6/87]

1:55:12 p.m. – New Hanover County EMS at 20 S. Fourth Street was dispatched, after the explosion was reported.

1:55:42 p.m. – Engine 7 at 20 S. Fourth Street was dispatched.

Engine 7 officer Captain J. D. Rhodes was instructed to connect a hose to the closest operating fire hydrant, to help control the fire from the burning gas. Engine 7 connected to a hydrant at Market and Kerr and laid a 2 1/2-inch supply line to Engine 3.

Engine 7 then deployed two 2 1/2-inch and one 1 1/2-inch lines for fire control. About one hour later, Engine 7 deployed a “Grant nozzle” (or portable monitor) using the 2 1/2-inch lines that were previously laid.

Both Asst. Chief Sandlin and Battalion Chief Glisson were severely injured and were transported from the scene by EMS.

Chief Hill Arrived About 2:00 p.m.

~2:00 p.m. – Asst. Chief S. C. Hill Sr. arrived. He took command on fire apparatus. He asked a bystander to contact the gas company using the gas company’s mobile radio and tell them that the gas needed to be cut off as quickly as possible.

~2:05 p.m. – Fire Chief L. H. Wolfe arrived. He left the scene shortly after arriving, to go to the hospital with his injured firefighters.

~2:10 p.m. – Engine 2 at 3403 Park Avenue was dispatched, to provide manpower. The company officer was Engineer R. E. Mercer.

~2:15 p.m. – The water main was turned back on.

~2:15 p.m. – Fire Prevention Chief D. N. Boswell arrived to assist Chief Hill.

About 30 minutes after Chief Boswell’s arrival, both Chief Boswell and Chief Hill located a gas company employee. They told him to cut the gas. The gas company employee said the gas had been cut off, and the fire was being fed by back pressure on the line. The chief officers told the gas company employee to check again, to ensure that the fire would extinguish itself and with no danger of another flash fire.

Fire Burned Out Around 5:00 p.m.

Between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. the gas was cut and the fire burned out shortly thereafter.

After the fire, it took about 90 minutes to have the water main cut off again. Portable pumps were brought and the water was removed. The gas company resumed repairs.

5:00 p.m. – New Hanover Memorial Hospital officials held a press conference. They noted that a trauma team with additional doctors and nurses responded to the hospital after the explosion. Most of the victims had first-, second-, or third-degree burns to their faces, hands, arms, and upper torsos. [WMS, 8/6/87]

~8:00 p.m. – The sleeve installation around the gas line was complete.

~1:00 a.m. – City utility workers completed repairs of approximately 15 feet of damaged 12-inch water main.

The primary source for this timeline is the Wilmington Morning Star on September 2, 1987, that reprinted the text of a report given by the city manager’s office to city council. Additional sources are noted.

The Victims

From the next day’s Wilmington Morning Star:

Flown to the burn center at North Carolina Memorial Center in Chapel Hill

WFD Asst. Chief Harold Sandlin – Critical
WFD Battalion Chief Benjamin Glisson – Serious
WFD Firefighter Joey Gabbia – Serious
Larry Lee, NCNG utility technician – Serious

Hospitalized at New Hanover Memorial Hospital.

WFD Firefighter Nathan LaBlance, fair
Robert Forward, city employee, fair
Kelvin Lacewell, city employee, fair
Earl Saylers, city employee, fair
Daniel Canady, NCNG measurement technician, fair
Kevin Dixon, NCNG, satisfactory
Doug Fields, NCNG assistant division superintendent, fair
Steve Jackson, NCNG division superintendent, fair
Edward Sykes, NCNG, fair
Herbert Simmons, bystander, good

Hospitalized at Cape Fear Memorial Hospital:

Kevin Dixon, NCNG, satisfactory
Tony Greene, NCNG welder foreman, satisfactory

Treated and released at Cape Fear Memorial Hospital:

WFD Captain Alvin Shipman
WFD Lt. Larry Brown
Ronnie Miles, city employee

Also, at least two firefighters suffered heat exhaustion at the incident, including D. J. Bell. [WMS, 8/6/87]

Chief Sandlin Died

Harold Sandlin died at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, August 21. He was 67 years old and a 44-year veteran of the department.

He had been on a respirator and had developed pneumonia about one week prior. The director of the burn center said he died from strain on his heart caused by second- and third-degree burns to his face, arms, legs, chest, and back.

He was buried on Monday, August 23, at Greenlawn Memorial Park.

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