ITALY, VIAREGGIO, TRAIN

CRASH AND EXPLOSION

Case study for Plant Environment Protection
Presented by:
J.E.M.C.B.MADUGALLE

070290A

Y G MARAMBAGE

070307K

S A S C SAMARASINGHE

070423L

K D C U WIJERATHNE

070546P

WHAT HAPPENED
A freight train composed of 14 tank wagons owned by GATX
Rail, each having a nominal capacity of 46.7 T of LPG ,
Derailed at about midnight, as it was travelling through
Viareggio, on 29th June, 2009

Viareggio is one of the highly populated cities in Italy and since

it was midnight people were sure to be at home

WHAT HAPPENED
The vessel of the first tank wagon after the engine
breached after overturning and caused a flash of LPG
The flashing LPG spill caused the formation of a Gas
Cloud and possibly of a boiling pool.

WHAT HAPPENED
About 2 explosions had followed the first.
After the explosion a huge plume of fire and smoke was
towering above Viareggio's low houses.
Three hundred firefighters from all over Tuscany were called in
to tackle the flames, which were still burning in at 6am on

Tuesday morning, six hours after the incident.

DAMAGE TO HUMAN
killed 31 people from fire. 2 due to shock.
36 injured of which 14 seriously injured
with severe burns.

The condition of the bodies is such that it

was very difficult to identify them.

DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
collapsed five buildings and set fire to a vast area.
Homes crumbled or burned, killing residents as

they slept.
About 100 people had lost their homes and a total
of 1,000 were evacuated as a precaution

WHAT WENT WRONG

reason for explosion

DIRECT CAUSE
The derailment was caused by the rupture of one of
the wheels axes of the first tank wagon
Direct cause:
mechanical failure of a
tank car and a loss of
containment

DIRECT CAUSE
A concurring cause of the accident is the
possible role of the I-shaped stake in generating
the breach in the overturned tank-car.

NORMAL WAGON AXIS

FATIGUE RUPTURE-WAGON AXIS

Detail of broken axis

The rupture occurred in the part

connected to the wheel, with a
deep and thin fracture. The
rupture section appeared
smooth on more than 90% of the
surface, with traces of rust.

WHAT WENT WRONG

All tank-cars used for the rail transportation of
hazardous substances in Europe should undergo the
RID regulations
Every 5 years the tank wagons should undergo a
mandatory maintenance that include X-ray
inspection of wheel axes.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Indicate that the wagon car underwent
maintenance operations in March 2009

But the crack on the wheel axis was

possibly not detected.

WHAT WENT WRONG-FLASH FIRE

VCF-VAPOUR CLOUD FIRE)

A LPG cloud of cold and white mist propagating around the

area where the train derailment took place.
No immediate ignition followed the release. The engine drivers
had the time to shut down the engine.
After about 3 min an Ignition was occurred reasonably caused
by a combustion engine of a car or of a motorbike
The CC-TV cameras recorded a single, long flash.
No damage due to external overpressure was identified, thus
the cloud combustion may be classified as a flash fire.

LESSONS LEARNT
Flash-fires due to delayed ignition of a vapor cloud
following a tank-car rupture have caused in the past a
number of severe accidents.
It could be concluded that past accident analysis
evidenced that flash-fires are a well-known final
scenario caused by the leak of flammable liquefied gases.

LESSONS LEARNT
The derailment was possibly caused by a
fatigue-type rupture.

Speed was a key-factor causing the crackmaximum speed of 100 km/h was allowed for the

derailed train

EVENT TREE ANALYSIS

Maintenance
Proceeded

Recognition of No Break
the crack
down of the
Axel

Not Hitting on
I shaped Stake

Not punctured No Formation Absence of

the tank
of the Vapour Ignition Source
Cloud
NO
NO
NO

NO
NO
NO
NO

YES
YES

YES
YES

YES
YES

NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES

YES
YES

YES

YES
YES

YES

NO

PREVENTIVE MEASURES
1. Revision of maintenance procedures required by RID
regulations
- Maintenance is effective
- It is properly carried out
2. Derailment Detection Device (DDD)
- Informs the engine drivers of the derailment

PREVENTIVE MEASURES
3. Specic speed limitations
- To trains carrying hazardous materials

- When crossing populated areas

4. Removing Stalks and other objects from railway

lines
- Avoid punctures in overturned vessels

ANY QUESTIONS??