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# 13 ) ll-C- 9 Docket Number: 

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. ^ \ UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA LPROTECTIO N AGENC Y 

### JU L

### I 3 198

7 AN N ARBOR . MICHIGA N 4810 5

OFFIC E O F AI R AN D RADIATIO N

Mr . RalphHitchcock , Directo r Offic e o f Vehicl e SafetyStandard s Nationa l Highwa

yTraffi c Safety Administratio n (NRM-10 ) 40 0 7thStreet , SW Washington , DC 2059 0 Dear Mr . Hitchcock : As par t o f ou

r stud yo f refueling control s we have been investigating the cost s an d benefit s o f bladde r tan k technology . Thi s technolog yoffer s th

e potentia l t o bot h contro l refueling emission s an d enhanc e the safet yo f vehicles . As par t o f thi s investigation , m ystaf f ha s recentl y complete d a preliminaryanalysi s o f fue l tank-relate d fires . The result s o f thi s analysi s wil l be used inthe futur e t o ai d in estimating th

e overal l societa l benefit s Acop yo f thi s analysi s i s enclose d for your appreciat e an

ycomments , ideas , or newdat a staf f ma

yhave regarding thi s analysis , questions , fee l fre e t o contac t Kathlee n Steilen o f m ystaf f a t FT S 374-8274 . Than k you for your assistanc e in reviewing an d commenting o

n thi s analysis . o f bladde r tanks , review . We woul d tha t yo u or your I f you have an

y

Cheste r J./France , Chie f Standard s Dev/elopment an d Suppor t Branc h Enclosur eP. 3

../ t0Sr ^ J (T>. \

UNITE D STATE S ENVIRONMENTA LPROTECTIO N AGENC Y 3
- X^Lr-1 AN NAR30R . MICHIGA N4810 5 \ < ' 

### JU N 

### I 0 153

7 OFFIC E O F AI R AN D RADIATIO N

MEMORANDU

M SUBJECT : Analysi s o f Fue l Tank-Relate d Fire s FROM : Kathlee n A . Steilen , Chemica l Enginee r "iCc3CrJbuv\ 0.

Standard s Developmen t an d Suppor t Branc h -•<-•*

- \- ^ 'Np .

TO : THRU : Charle s L . Gray , jr. , Directo r

Emissio n Contro l Technolog yDivisio n Glen n W . p Standard s assavant , Projec t Manage r ^(JL &T**J<n ilU , lLu^t^J: y Developmen t an

d Suppor t Branc ho nee , Chief

J/yf Cheste r J . Fra Standard s Developmen t a Introduction Recentl ysevera l partie s have expresse d concernregarding th e safetyo f onboard refueling emissio n controls . Boththe Insuranc e Institut e for Highwa ySafety(IIHS ) an d Nationa l Highwa yTraffi c Safet yAdministratio n(NHTSA ) have commente d t o EP Atha t adding canister-base d onboard control s t o curren t moto r vehicle s v/oul d ad d som e complexit yt o the fue l system whic hcoul d increas e th e risk o f post-collisio n fire s in moto r vehicl e accidents . in a separat e action , we have conducte d a furthe r evaluatio n o f the safetyimplication s o f canister-base d onboard systems t o addres s th e concern s raised b yIIHS , NHTSA an d others . As a furthe r respons e t o concern s regarding the safet yo f onboard systems , we ar e investigating the possibilit yo f the us e o f collapsibl e fue l bladder s a s a n alternativ e refueling contro l approach . Sinc e no vapo r spac e exist s ina collapsibl e bladder , refueling emission s ca nbe reduced substantiall yor virtuall yeliminated ; in additio n the yhave the potentia l t o control , diurna l evaporativ e emissions . Also , collapsibl e bladder s ma

yhave som

e safetyadvantage s ove r canister-base d systems , sinc e th

e externa l plumbing an d a large r caniste r ar e no t needed . Perhap s even mor e importantly , collapsibl eP. 4

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- bladder s hav e th e potentia l t o reduc e th e fir e ris k no wfoun d i n curren t -moto r vehicle s sinc e theywoul d provid e an additiona l shel l o f protectio ni n th e even t o f a fue l tan k rupture . Th e purpos e o f thi s memorandu mi s t o provid e a nestimat e o f the potentia l in-us e safet ybenefit s o f collapsibl e fue l bladders . I t begin s wit ha summaryo f th e currentl yavailabl e dat a o n th e annua l numbe r o f pos t collisio nan d fue l tan

k relate d fire s an

d th e subsequen t fatalities , injuries , an d propert ydamage . Thi s i s followe d b ya discussio no f howthi s dat a wa s analyze d an d adjuste d t o projec t th e numbe r o f fue l tan k fires , fatalities , injuries , an d propert ydamag e i n199 0 an d beyond whe n refueling control s woul d b e require d i nth e presen t draf t NPRM . Th e memo close s wit ha brie f outlin e o f EPA' s futur e step s i n thi s stud yo f usin g collapsibl e fue l bladder s a s an alternativ e refueling contro l approach . Summaryo f Availabl e Dat a Th e availabl e dat a o n fue l tank relate d fire s an d subsequen t effect s ar e limited , an d n o singl e bod

yo f dat a exist s whic haccuratel yassesse s th e overal l hazards . Virtuall yal l o f th e availabl e dat a arise s initiall yfro m polic e an

d fir e marshal 1 report s fro m differen t state s an d whil e polic e report s fro m Michigan , Illinois , Nort hCarolina , Maryland , an

d Pennsylvani a ar e quit e useful , thes e record s alon e ar e no t adequat e t o characteriz e th e problem . Dat a from thes e record s mus t b e extrapolate d t o ge t an estimat e o f nationa l values . Further , th e natur e an d exten t o f th e fir e cras hdat a varie s i n th e differen t stat e reports . Fo r example , some stat e acciden t report s ar e veryexplici t i nevaluatin g fire s from fue l leakage , th e typ e o f acciden t (fron t end , rear end , rollover ) an

d th e acciden t severity . Other s ar e les s complet e perhap s onl yreporting informatio no nfires , an d fatalitie s withou t muc hsupporting detail . Tw o Federa l agencie s an d severa l differen t moto r vehicl e safet yexpert s hav e use d th e availabl e informatio nt o develo p dat a base s o r othe r analyse s whic hca nb e use d t o asses s th e numbe r o f fue l tank relate d fire s an d subsequen t effects . Eac h o f thes e i s describe d briefl ybelow , togethe r wit hth e importan t informatio n drawnfromth e source . 1 . Fata l Acciden t Reportin g System(FARS ) (1980-1984 ) Thi s dat a base , maintaine d b yNHTSA , list s al l police-reporte d accident s i n whic ha fatalit yoccurs . Th e sourc e specifie s whethe r a fir e occurre d bu t doe s no t indicat e th e sourc e o f th e fir e o r whethe r o r no t th e fir e wa s th e direc t caus e o f th e fatality . B yusing dat a from accident sP. 5

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- wit hfatalitie s only , th e reporte d moto r vehicl e accident s ar e generall ymor e severe . Us e o f thi s dat a alon e coul d misrepresen t o r overestimat e th e overal l fir e hazard s o f curren t vehicles . Th e mos t usefu l informatio n fro mFAR S i s th e numbe r o f fatalitie s fro

m al l moto r vehicl e accident s an d those , wit hpos t collisio n fires . Th e dat a cover s al l mode l yea r vehicles , bot h pre - an

d post-FMVS S 30 1 (1976 ) average d fo r the perio d 1980-1984 . Th e keydat a fro mthi s sourc e ar e summarize d below : 160 5 annua l post-collisio nmoto r vehicl e fire s i n whic ha fatalit ywa s reported . 49,03 7 annua l fatalitie s resulte d fro mal l moto r vehicl e accidents . O f thes e tota l fatalities , 165 5 fatalitie s (3.3% ) include d a post-collisio nfire . (Ther e wer e abou t 5 0 fire s i nwhic hmor e tha n on e perso ndied. ) 2 . Nationa l Fir e Inciden t Reporting System(NFIRS ) Thi s dat a base , maintaine d b yth e Federa l Emergenc y Managemen t Agenc y(FEMA) , include s al l type s o f fires , including moto r vehicl e fires . I t receive s a sampling o f th e tota l fire s (abou t 4 0 percen t i n1985 ) an d extrapolate s nationa l statistic s fro mthese . Thi s systemparticularl y specifie s th e numbe r o f fire s whic hbegi ni nth e fue l tank are a an d the deaths , injurie s an d propert ydamag e resulting from thes e fires , bu t th e systemdoe s no t specif ythes e exclusivel y fo r pos t collisio n fires . Sinc e th e statistic s ar e compile d o n an annua l basis , th e dat a cover s al l mode l yea r vehicle s bot h pre - an d post-FMVS S 301 . Th e importan t dat a i n NFIR S fo r 198 5 includes : 552,00 0 tota l annua l moto r vehicl e fire s (o f al l types) . 11,00 0 moto r vehicl e fire s (2.0% ) whic hbega ni nth e fue l tank area . 22 0 fatalitie s i n moto r vehicl e fire s whic hbega n i n th e fue l tank area . 64 0 injurie s i nmoto r vehicl e fire s whic hbega ni n th e fue l tan

k area . $4 6 millio no f propert ydamag e fro m moto r vehicl e fire s whic hbega n i n th e fue l tank area . 3 . "Evaluatio n o f Federa l Moto r Vehicl e Safet yStandard . 301-75 , Fue l SystemIntegrity : Passenge r Cars" , NHTS A Report , Glenn Parson s (1983) : Thi s NHTS Arepor t evaluate d th e effectivenes s o f FMVS S 301 , an

d thu s contain s dat a o nth e in-us e acciden t an d fir e experienc e o f pre - an d pos t standar d vehicles . Table s 1 an d 2P. 6

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- showthe distributio no f impac t typ e an d vehicl e damag e severityi n . accident s involving bot hpre - an d post-standar d vehicles . Tabl e 1 whic hpresent s th e frequenc yo f accident s fro mthe variou s impac t type s show s tha t rollove r accident s ar e rar e occurrence s an d mos t accident s ar e fronta l impacts . Tabl e 2 present s th e damag e severit ysustaine d b yeac hvehicl e involved i n an acciden t base d o n a Vehicl e Damag e Severit y (VDS ) scale . AVD S o f l represent s verymino r vehicl e damage , wher e a s a VD S o f 8 represent s veryextreme damage . A s expected , thi s tabl e show s tha t accident s wit hLo-Moderat e severit ydamag e (VDS=2,3,4,5 ) ar e mor e frequen t i ncompariso n t o majo r severit yaccident s (VDS=6,7,8) . Tabl e 3 present s th e fir e rate s for pre - an d post-standar d vehicle s b

yimpac t typ e an

d damag e severity . Th e dat a show s tha t rollove r an

d rea r en

d collisions , especiall ythos e wit h majo r damag e severity , hav e th e highes t fir e rates . Furthermore , thi s tabl e show s tha t FMVS S 301-7 5 gav e a greate r reductio n i n th e fir e rate s fo r majo r severit yaccident s (50. 6 percent ) tha n fo r Lo-Moderat e severit yaccident s (22. 4 percent) . Thi s NHTS Arepor t als o provide s goo d dat a o nth e numbe r an d degre e o f injurie s whic hresul t fro mvehicl e accident s an d post-collisio n fires . I t divide s th e injurie s int o four types : fata l injuries , incapacitating injuries , non-incapacitating injuries , an d possibl e injuries . Som e additiona l informatio ngenerate d i nthi s repor t i s presente d below , bu t th e keydat a wit hregard t o fir e rate s ar e show n i n Tabl e 3 : 20,60 0 annua l moto r vehicl e fire s resulting from

passenge r ca r accidents . 1,09 9 annua l fatalitie s i npassenge r ca r accident s wit hfir e (averag e fro mFAR S fo r 1978-1981) . Tota l injurie s i nal l passenge r ca r accidents : 385,89 2 incapacitating injurie s 865,64 2 non-incapacitating injurie s 1,095,18 0 possibl e injurie s Injurie s i npassenge r ca r accident s wit h post-collisio nfire : 386 7 incapacitating injurie s 383 6 non-incapacitatin g injurie s 248 6 possibl e injurie s 4 . "Fir e i n Moto r Vehicl e Accidents" , Pete r Coole y(1974) : Thi s HighwaySafet yResearc hInstitut e (HSRI , no wUMTRI ) repor t b

yPete r Coole yprovide s dat a o n th e tota l numbe r o f vehicl e fire s an d th e resulting fatalities . H e furthe r analyze s th e fatalitie s involve d i n post-collisio n fire s an d determine s whethe r th e fatalit ywa s "accompanie d by " o r "directl ycause d by " th e post-collisio nfire . Unfortunately ,P. 7

Tabl e 1 Distributio n o f Accident s b yImpac t Typ e Impac t Typ e Fronta l Rollove r Rea r en d Pre-Standar d Frequenc y(% ) 72. 1 1 . 7 26. 2 Post-Standar d

Frequenc y(% ) 69. 8 1. 6 28. 6 Overal l

Frequenc y(% ) 70. 7 1 . 7 27. 7 Base d on Michiga n dat a fo r calenda r yea r 198 0P. 8

Tabl e 2 Distributio n o f Accident s b yVehicl e Damag e Severit y Vehicl e Damag e Severityr-l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pre-Stand a

Frequenc y 3.85 8 25.59 5 26.13 4 20.22 0 12.44 7 6.55 2 3 . 11 2 2.07 6 r d (% ) Post-Stand

Frequenc y 2.89 2 26.10 8 27.16 2 20.53 2 12.39 8 6.35 0 2.82 1 1.70 7 ard

(% ) Ove r Al l

Frequenc y( % 3.2 6 25.9 2 26.7 8 20.4 2 12.4 2 6.4 3 2.9 3 1.8 5 Base d o n Michiga n dat a fo r calenda r yea r 1980 .P. 9

Tabl e 3 Fir e Rate s for Pre
- an d Post-Standar d Vehicle s b

yImpac t Typ e an

d Damag e Severit y tt o f fires/ # o f vehicl e crashe s = fir e rate(xl0-3 )

Lo-Moderat e Severit yMajorit ySeverit y (VD S = 2,3,4,5 ) (VD S = 6,7,8 ) Pre-Standard Fron t en

d 360/229,43 3 = 1.56 9 91/946 5 = 9.61 4 Rea r en d 139/99,66 3 = 1.39 5 90/630 4 =14.2 8 Rollove r 14/294 6 = 4.75 2 49/338 9 = 14.4 6 TOTA L 513/332,04 2 = 1.54 5 230/19,15 8 = 12.0 1 Post-standar d Fron t en

d 311/261,00 2 = 1.19 2 79/14,42 5 = 5.47 7 Rea r en d 139/119,14 1 = 1.16 7 40/694 4 = 5.7 6 Rollove r 10/354 1 = 2.82 4 29/359 9 = 8.0 5 TOTAL 460/383,68 4 = 1.19 9 148/24,96 8 = 5.9 3 Reductio n from

Standar d 22.4 % 50.6 %
Base d o n Michiga n dat a fo r calenda r year s 1978 , 1979 , an d 1980 .P.1 0


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- hi s dat a doe s no t determin e th e sourc e o f th e fir e (i.e. , fue l tank) . This.dat a i s base d solel yo npre-standar d vehicles .

17,00 0 annua l fire s resul t fro mmoto r vehicl e accidents . 720-125 0 fatalitie s ar e accompanie d b ythes e fires . 450-65 0 fatalitie s ar e directly

- caused , b yth e vehicl e fires . 5 . "Genera l Motor s an d Fue l SystemCollisio nFires " (1974) : Thi s stud

yprovide s GM' s poin t o f vie wo n th e fir e hazard s o f moto r vehicles . I t offer s goo d statistic s o nth e numbe r o f fatalitie s cause d b ypost-collisio nfire s an d mor e specifically , fue l systemcollisio n fires . I t relate s onl yt o pre-standar d vehicles . Keydat a includes :

560-187 0 annua l fatalitie s du e t o collisio n fires . 25 0 annua l fatalitie s du e t o a vehicle

- fue l system collisio n fire . 6 . " APerspectiv e o nAutomobil e Cras hFires" , SAE 850092 , Warner , Jame s an

d Woolley , (1985) : Thi s SAE pape r analyze s previou s studie s o nautomobil e cras hfires . I t provide s a rang e o f fatalitie s cause d b y post-collisio n fuel-fe d fires , an d conclude s tha t 1-1. 5 percen t o f al l occupan t fatalitie s ar e cause d b ypost-collisio n fuel-fe d fire s independen t o f FMVS S 30 1 improvements . Analysi s o f Dat a A s ca n b e see n fromth e description s above , th e si x availabl e dat a source s an d publishe d report s provid e differen t type s o f informatio n covering differen t time periods . However , wit hcarefu l analysis , thi s informatio n ca nb e use d t o generat e estimate s o f fue l tank relate d fires , fatalities , injuries , an d propert ydamag e fo r vehicle s operating i nth e post-199 0 time frame . Th e yea r 199 0 i s intende d t o reflec t whe n essentiall y al l light-dut yvehicle s an d light-dut ytruck s in-us e woul d b e i n complianc e wit hFMVS S 301 . Additionally , a yea r ha d t o b e chose n t o adjus t dat a b yVM T fo r suc ha tim e frame . Befor e thi s dat a can b e use d t o generat e th e desire d estimate s two adjustment s ar e necessaryt o ge t al l th e dat a o n a commo n basis . First , i t i s necessaryt o ge t al l dat a i n term s o f post-standar d fir e rates , sinc e b yth e time bladders , coul d b e availabl e mos t vehicle s in-us e woul d b e 197 6 o r late r mode l year . Th e fractio n o f th e fir e dat a contribute d b y pre-standar d vehicle s wa s determine d usin g th e estimate d percentag e o f VM T b ythes e vehicle s whe n th e dat a wa s take nan d adjusting i t base d o n th e effectivenes s o f FMVS S 30 1 give ni n th e aforementione d NHTS Areport . Sinc e i t i s reasonabl e t oP.1 1



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-

assume tha t mos t rea r en d an d rollove r acciden t fire s occur i n th e fue l tank , area , a fue l tank relate d fir e reductio nfacto r fo r FMVS S 30 1 wa s calculate d using th e pre - an d post-standar d rate s for rea r en

d an d rollove r collision s show ni nTabl e 1 . Thes e overal l post-collisio n an d fue l tank-relate d fir e reductio n factor s wer e estimate d t o b e 32. 7 an d 36. 9 percent , respectively . Second , afte r th e dat a i s adjuste d t o post-standar d fir e rate s i t i s als o necessaryt o conside r tha t increasing VMT betwee n whe n th e dat a wa s generate d an d 199 0 woul d increas e th e absolut e numbe r o f fue l tank fire s an d relate d aftereffects . I t i s reasonabl e t o projec t tha t absen t othe r measures , fire s an d subsequen t fatalities , etc. , woul d increas e a s VM T increases . Thu s a s a simpl e adjustment , al l dat a wa s adjuste d t o 199 0 using th e rati o o f th e 199 0 tota l VMT t o the tota l VMT o f the year(s ) i n whic hth e dat a wa s generated . On e othe r adjustmen t whic hwa s considere d bu t no t incorporate d i s th e effec t o f vehicl e aging o n fir e rates . I f vehicl e aging doe s affec t fir e rates , th e dat a adjustment s fo r pre - t o post-standar d vehicle s woul d hav e t o b e adjuste' d further . Thi s concer n arise s becaus e th e pre - an d post-standar d fir e rat e dat a use d t o develo p th e adjustmen t facto r di d no t us e al l vehicle s o f th e same age . Th e post-standar d fir e rat e wa s base d o nvehicle s 0- 4 year s old , th e pre-standar d rat e wa s base d o n vehicle s 3- 8 year s old . Thu s ther e i s th e possibilit ytha t th e adjustmen t facto r coul d b e to o larg e becaus e i t incorporate s th e effec t o f differen t fir e rate s o n differen t ag e vehicles , i nadditio n t o th e improvement s brough t b yth e safet ystandard . Fir e rate s (fire s pe r crash ) mayvaryb yvehicl e ag e becaus e change s i n driving pattern s (les s highspee d freeway , mor e lowe r spee d urba narea) , ownership , fue l systemcomponen t deterioration , an

d lack o f maintenanc e wit hvehicl e ag e ma y hav e an overal l effec t o n th e possibilit yo f a fir e i nth e even t o f an accident . Th e ne t effec t o f thes e factor s wa s evaluate d using dat a fromth e NHTS Atechnica l repor t wit ha preliminaryconclusio n tha t th e effec t o f aging i s probabl y small . However , an accurat e determinatio n(eithe r quantitativel yo r directionally ) canno t b e mad e unti l mor e informatio n become s availabl e late r thi s yea r whe nGlenn Parson s o f NHTS Aupdate s hi s evaluatio no f FMVS S 301-7 5 base d o n mor e recen t data . I t i s interesting t o not e tha t the 198 5 FAR S dat a sugges t tha t th e percen t o f vehicl e accident s (no t fires ) b

ymode l yea r i s directl yproportiona l t o registration s o f tha t mode l year , no t VMT . Developmen t o f 199 0 Vehicl e Fir e Dat a Th e dat a o n moto r vehicl e fire s extracte d fro mth e si x source s wer e collectivel yanalyze d t o estimat e th e annua lP.1 2

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- numbe r o f post-collisio n an d fue l tan

k relate d fire s an d th e resulting fatalities , injurie s an d propert ydamage . A s previousl ymentioned , t o b e usefu l the characteristic s o f al l availabl e dat a mus t b e pu t i n term s o f a commo nbasis . Therefore , th e fir e dat a wa s scale d a s discusse d above t o represen t pos t standard vehicle s in th e yea r 199 0 whe n essentiall yal l vehicle s wil l mee t FMVS S 301 . Veryfewsource s directl yprovid e statistic s especiall y for fue l tank relate d fires . I nfact , onl ythre e o f th e studie d source s provid e suc hstatistics : NFIRS , the Genera l Motor s study , an

d SAE pape r 850092 . Anothe r metho d t o estimat e the statistic s fo r fue l tan k fire s i nparticula r i s t o approximat e th e percentag e o f tota l post-collisio nfire s whic h ar e fue l tank related . Sinc e i t i s logica l t o assume tha t mos t o f th e fue l tank relate d fire s resul t fro mrollove r an

d rea r en d collisions , thi s percentag e canb e estimate d fro mth e tota l fractio n o f thes e collisio ntypes . Using thi s assumptio nan d the NHTS Arepor t b yGlennParsons , i t ca nb e calculate d tha t fue l tank fire s accoun t for approximatel y3 6 percen t o f th e tota l collisio n fires . Post-collisio nfir e dat a fromth e remaining source s ca n b e use d wit hthi s percentag e facto r t o estimat e th e numbe r o f fue l tan k relate d fire s an d thei r subsequen t effects . Tabl e 4 present s th e 199 0 pos t standar d moto r vehicl e fir e dat a generate d fromth e si xsource s use d i nthi s analysis . Th e dat a presente d include s th e numbe r o f vehicl e fire s and/o r thei r aftereffect s fo r pos t collisio nfire s an d particularl y fo r fue l tank fires . A s previousl ymentioned , onl yth e NFIRS , G MStudy , an

d SAE 85009 2 directl yrepor t dat a fo r fue l tank fires . Fue l tank fir e statistic s fo r th e remaining source s (FARS , Parsons ' report , Cooley" s report ) wer e estimate d b y scaling th e post-collisio ndat a wit hth e percentag e o f fue l tan k fire s approximate d fromParsons ' repor t (3 6 percent) . Therefore , th e dat a i n Tabl e 4 encompasse s al l o f th e availabl e dat a an

d present s a reasonabl e rang e o f th e fir e hazard s fo r moto r vehicle s i n th e yea r 1990 . Th e dat a fromth e si xsource s presente d i nTabl e 4 ca nb e summarize d fo r bot hth e post-collisio n an d fue l tank relate d fire s a s presente d below :

• Post-Collisio n Moto r Vehicl e Fire s

15,300-19,60 0 annua l fire s 400-170 0 fatalitie s 370 0 seriou s injurie s 360 0 moderat e injurie s

• Fue l Tank-relate d Fire s

5500-11,20 0 annua l fue l tank-relate d fire s 150-84 0 fatalitie s 650-132 0 seriou s injurie sP.1 3

• • • •

199 0 Post
Source/Statisti c FAR S Fire s wit hFatalitie s Fatalitie s NFIR S Vehicl e Fire s Fatalitie s Injurie s Propert yDamag e Parsons ' Repor t Vehicl e Fire s Fatalitie s Injuries : Incapacitating Non-Incapacitating Possibl e Cooley' s Repor t Vehicl e Fire s Fatalitie s G MStud y Fatalitie s SAE 85009 2 Fatalitie s Tabl e 4 -Standard Vehicl e Fir e Pos t Collisio n Fire s 162 9 167 9

19,55 0 104 3 366 9 364 0 235 9 15,31 3 405-112 6 505-168 5

1 Dat a Fue l Tank Relate d Fire s 58 6 60 4 11,15 0 22 3 64 9 47 M 703 8 37 5

- 132 1 131 0 84 9 551 3 146-40 5 21 1 560-83 9P.1 4

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- 131 0 moderat e injurie s -. . $4 7 millio npropert ydamag e Thes e statistic s represen t a reasonabl e rang e for th e fir e hazard s o f moto r vehicle s for th e yea r 1990 , whe nrefueling control s ar e require d i n th e curren t draf t NPRM . Th e fue l tank relate d fir e data , i nparticular , showth e potentia l in-us e benefit s o f fue l bladde r system s i f implemente d a s alternativ e refueling controls . Futur e Step s T o complet e thi s fue l tank-relate d fir e analysi s EPAplan s t o full ycoordinat e our moto r vehicl e fir e conclusion s wit h NHTSA . A s par t o f thi s coordination , w e hav e alread yme t wit h themt o presen t an outlin e o f our dat a an d analysi s an

d t o see k an ycomment s o r suggestions . W e hav e als o me t wit hFEM At o discus s our study , an d theyar e providing u s wit hfurthe r informatio n fromthei r NFIR S database . Additionally , w e ar e investigating i n greate r detai l th e curren t fir e hazard s o f heavy-dut ytrucks . Onc e w e incorporat e al l o f thi s subsequen t fue l tank fir e dat a int o our analysis , w e ca ncomplet e our investigation , wit hNHTSA' s coordination . W e ar e als o i n th e proces s o f analyzing th e potentia l cost/benefi t o f fue l bladde r systems . Thi s analysi s wil l conside r al l environmenta l an d safet ybenefit s associate d wit h fue l bladder s an

d determin e th e possibl e cos t rang e o f suc h bladder s s o tha t th e cost s ar e equivalen t t o th e benefit s obtained . Othe r futur e action s b yEP Ainclud e a detaile d stud y o f th e cost s o f fue l bladde r system s a s refueling control s an d a tes t pla n t o determin e th e effectivenes s o f collapsibl e bladder s i n controlling bot hrefueling an d evaporativ e emissions .