Investigating Large-Loss Accidents: The Mountain City, Tennessee LP-Gas Explosion

Abstract

On November 17, 1992, an LP-gas explosion occurred in Mountain City, Tennessee. The explosion destroyed two city blocks, and caused property damage throughout the city. The investigation of large-loss accidents may pose problems for the investigator not normally encountered in small-loss accidents. For example, large-loss accidents usually include a number of independent investigations conducted simultaneously and coincidentally. The presence of the news media offers yet another dimension. This paper discusses the investigation of large-loss accidents using the Mountain City incident as a case study. The paper concludes with recommendations for preventing similar accidents in the future.