The events of June 10th, 1999 are described different ways by different people and groups because of their differing viewpoints. Here are some of the views we found interesting.
HistoryLink.org is the most comprehensive webite covering Washington State history. They have an excellent section on the June 10,1999 tragedy in Bellingham which you can read by clicking here.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal accident investigation agency, whose mission is to determine the probable cause of transportation accidents (including pipelines) and to formulate safety recommendations to improve transportation safety. Click here to read their description of June 10, 1999.
The Pipeline Safety Trust is the only independent national organization that focuses on pipeline safety from a public interest viewpoint. The Trust was started with $4 million from the criminal settlement of the Bellingham tragedy. Click here to read their description of June 10, 1999.
Katherine Dalen, Marlene Robinson and Bruce Brabec all lost sons on June 10, 1999. Click here to read how they have described June 10,1999.
In the end, Olympic Pipe Line Company and its owners paid well over $180 million dollars in fines and settlements, and for the first time ever pipeline company employees went to jail for unsafe practices. Here are some of the fines and settlements that were paid:
Fines & Settlements Paid
- $75 million paid to the families of Stephen Tsiorvas and Wade King
- An undisclosed amount paid to the family of Liam Wood
- Estimated $15 million by Olympic Pipe Line Co. for improvements in inspection and damage prevention measures
- Estimated $61 million by Shell for improvements in inspection and damage prevention measures
- $6 million paid by Olympic Pipe Line Co. as part of criminal settlement
- $5 million paid by Olympic Pipe Line Co. as part of civil settlement
- $15 million paid by Shell as part of criminal settlement
- $10 million paid by Shell as part of civil settlement
- $250,000 paid by Olympic Pipe Line Co. for violation of pipeline safety laws
- $250,000 paid by Shell for violations of pipeline safety laws
- Undisclosed amount paid for private property damage and personal injury
Total = $187 million +