European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 26, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday july 26, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 3 insulation blamed in at least 12 fires in military commercial aircraft models fort Worth Texas a wiring insulation has been implicated in fires in at least 12 military and commercial aircraft models but the Hazard May Actu ally be much More widespread according to a published report. The fort Worth Star Telegram in stories published sunday and in an Early monday edition said the air Force was slow to notify its flight Crews about danger associated with the insulation called Kapton under certain conditions. Kapton also was used on the space shuttle and May have caused a fire during maintenance in 1983 that was t blamed on insulation at the time the newspaper said. The Navy banned Kapton in 1986 after document ing in Laboratory tests that it can explode in flames an disable crucial flight control systems. The air Force restricts Kapton use Only in High vibration areas of new aircraft and recently issued a ban on its use in repairs. The air Force contends that the conditions Nec Essary for such an explosion to occur rarely exist except in Laboratory tests and that it is impossible to determine whether the insulation was to blame for electrical fires in years gone by. Virtually All contractors who provide . Military aircraft to the air Force use Kapton extensively the newspaper said. No known deaths have been caused by insulation related aircraft fires through almost two decades of the insulation s use in More than 50 kinds of aircraft. The newspaper reviewed 265 Field reports dealing with electrical problems on the air Force f-16 and found at least 45 instances Between 1978 and 1986 of wire fires or severe arcing. Included Are six in flight emergencies and two incidents considered potentially life threatening by the air Force and general dynamics maker of the f-16. The single engine fighters which rely on electrical impulses to control their flight rather than mechanical wires and pulleys each contains 10 Miles of Kapton coated wire More than 85 percent of the aircraft wiring. Navy Laboratory studies in 1984 and 1985 found that Kapton a Carbon based film can explode under certain conditions when exposed to an electrical arc. Fred rail jr., the air Force s top civilian Engineer said the explosions can Only be documented by trained rail warned personnel about Kaptan in a newsletter dated March 26, 1986, but concluded that it was an acceptable aircraft wire insulation Given proper installation and maintenance Richard Hill a researcher at the Federal aviation administration s technical Center in Atlantic City n.j., said the Agency is considering issuing guideline son Kapton usage in commercial aircraft such As recommending against its use in areas that Are susceptible to moisture. We do not believe there s enough information that says you should ban Kapton and take it out of the air plane he said. We do think there is enough of problem or a potential problem that we should make some Kapton began to gain popularity in the Early and mid-1970s, first in the military and later in Commer Cial aviation. Proponents said Kapton was the perfect insulator being Small enough to fit into tight spaces on fighter jets Light enough to save precious fuel on airliners and Strong enough As required by government specifications to last for the life of the but As the insulation was put into service maintenance Crews initially complained that Kapton was stiff Brittle and fragile and broke easily when Bent. Jim Harris a spokesman for . Dupont de nem ours & co., which makes Kapton contends that any insulation will arc track in the presence of conductive fluid. Firefighters leave Steven Spielberg s Home after the fire sunday night. Spielberg s House damaged in Blaze Malibu Calif. A director Steven Spielberg s multimillion Dollar Home was damaged by fire in a Blaze that spread to an adjoining Ocean front estate along an exclusive celeb Rity enclave authorities said. Spielberg his actress wife Amy Irving and their son Max weren t inthe two Story Home when the fire broke out sunday evening authorities said. There were no injuries. It took 40 firefighters about 40minutes to extinguish the Blaze authorities said. Arson investigator were called because of the suspicious nature of the fire but authorities would t elaborate. Damage to the Spielberg Home was estimated at $210,000, and the neigh Boring residence sustained $120,000 in damage said county fire capt. Derek Reyna who added that he did t know the name of the other Homeowner. Other celebrity residents along the mile Long Section of Broad Beach Road which runs just below and parallel to Pacific coast Highway include sylves Ter Stallone Robert Redford Carrollo Connor and Goldie hawn. The Broad Beach Homes Range from $3 Mil lion to $ 10 million in value. The fire which could be seen for Miles along Pacific coast Highway attracted hundreds of onlookers and sheriffs deputies had to be called to Clear a path for emergency vehicles authorities said. Malibu is about 30 mile Northwest of downtown los Angeles. Among Spielberg s hit films Are jaws close encounters of the third kind raiders of the lost Ark "e.t. The extra terrestrial Empire of the Sun the color purple and the recently released who framed Roger Rabbit 1 passenger killed 69 Hurt in bus crashes by the associated pres bus crashes in two states took the life of one woman and injured 69 passengers with the Driver of one being charged with reckless driving and the other being praised for stopping his skidding bus from plunging into a Ravine. A colonial trailways bus in route from Mobile to new York sunday swerved to avoid a car apparently driving on the wrong Side of a two Lane Ala Bama Highway. The bus skidded for about 30 feet after it overturned and came to a Stop with the Back of the bus in a shallow part of the Ravine and the front jutting about 15 feet in the air. The Accident three Miles South of Camden in southwestern Alabama killed Rosie Gulley 68, of Brooklyn,n.y., according to Alabama troopers and left 34 other people injured. In Edison n.j., a charter bus drive was charged with reckless driving after his bus crashed into a Bridge abutment shearing off most of the roof and injuring35 passengers who had just left a family reunion. One was still in critical Condi Tion monday morning. An Edison police sergeant Bill bunt ing said the bus which began its trip in Virginia struck the abutment of a rail Road Bridge sunday afternoon. The bus carried 46 passengers and the Driver Bunting said. The Driver 43-year-old Sherman Las Siter of Suffolk va., was issued a sum Mons for careless driving Bunting , a Driver for United coach corp. Of Suffolk failed to observe a sign warn ing of Low Bridge clearance and was driving above the Speed limit he said. A state police Captain George Jones said the Driver of the bus involved in the Alabama Accident said he had swerved to avoid an oncoming car. Jones said that was under investigation. State police spokesman will Roger said the bus was carrying 34 passengers and the bus Driver. 4 injured 300 evacuated As blast hits chemical Plant Bridgeview 111. A an explosion at a chemical Plant Early monday rocked this Chicago suburb critically in Juring four employees and forcing about300 people from their Homes for almost two hours officials said. Police evacuated the residents living near the Union chemical co. Plant a irritating fumes drifted through the area following the 1 . Explosion said Dis Patcher Mark Mcfall. About 300 people Many in Paja Masand carrying children crowded into the John a. Oremus Community Center said Sophie Robish who helps out at the Center. We heard the explosion and i out of bed like a Spring said Robish,50, who lives two blocks from the Plant. The residents were allowed Back i their Homes nearly two hours later after the fumes cleared the area Mcfall said. Three workers were brought to Chris Hospital and medical Center in Oak Lawn and were listed in critical Condi Tion said nursing supervisor Sharon of the three was badly burned and transferred to Loyola University medical fourth person also badly burned was taken directly to victims at Loyola were listed in critical condition said Carol prevail nursing supervisor there. One was burned Over 80 percent of his body an the other 60 percent. Robish said volunteers at the Community Center served Coffee to the lot of people Are in their night gowns with their pillows and puppies and children she the evacuees was Katie Dyrda 22."i just got done Reading and was get Ting ready for bed when i heard this very loud Boom she said. Dyrda said she grabbed her 3-Ycar-Oldson and headed for the Center
