Investigators probing the devastating GAIL pipeline explosion at Nagaram in East Godavari district that claimed 21 lives have decided to analyse the technical parameters that resulted in the blast.
“Investigation is progressing in right direction and we have definite clues. We cannot rule out human error in this ghastly incident,” a senior police official, associated with investigation, said.
He said they were planning to take the assistance of experts, including personnel from the A.P. Fire Services Department, to find out mistakes that led to the explosion.
“We require at least two months to complete the probe as we are busy handing over the bodies to family members, besides completing other formalities,” he said, adding that the statements of the injured were also recorded to know more about the incident.
Special reportMeanwhile, the A.P. Fire Services Department has prepared a special report about the explosion. In its technical evaluation, the department said when the natural gas started leaking from the pipeline, formation of vapour cloud began. The increase in its concentration level was the cause for the explosion.
The report said the natural gas consists of methane (95 per cent) and other fossil fuels such as ethane, propane, butane and pentane. Its characteristics are lighter than air, highly combustible and clean burning in nature, odourless, invisible and explosive under pressure. “It may cause extreme fire hazard when mixed with appropriate concentration of air or oxygen in the presence of ignition of source,” the report said.
According to the report, when a flammable chemical is released into the atmosphere, it forms a vapour cloud that will disperse as it travels downwards. If the cloud encounters an ignition source, it burns. The severity of the vapour cloud explosion depends on the chemical and cloud size at the time of ignition, the report observed.
Sources said the Centre has appointed a high-level committee headed by Refineries Joint Secretary R.K. Singh to probe the reasons for the explosion.
