Two U.S. senators on Wednesday called on the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate a Takata-linked Texas explosion.
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Last week in Texas, a truck a truck carrying Takata airbag parts, including ammonium nitrate crashed into a home which caused an explosion and fire. One person in a nearby home was killed in the truck explosion and four others were injured. It’s been confirmed that ammonium nitrate is the root cause of the Takata airbag defect which has led to the recall of tens of millions of vehicles (the largest recall in USA automotive history) because of its tendency to become unstable when exposed to moisture.
Under pressure from U.S. senators, the NTSB has promised to review documents and other information related to the incident.
“We already know Takata has endangered millions behind the wheel”, Democrats Markey and Blumenthal said in a statement Wednesday.
They want to know whether appropriate safeguards were put in place and what other precautions could be taken to ensure ammonium nitrate is shipped safely on US highways. Those air bags can explode with too much force and spray shrapnel into the vehicle. The senators also have urged President Obama to recall all vehicles that are equipped with air bags that use ammonium nitrate and use “every tool at his disposal” to help accelerate recalls and repairs.
“Initial indicators are that the materials were packaged properly”, NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said in an e-mail. NHTSA concluded that airbags with the compound were safe if they also used a drying agent.
Some of the replacement inflators in the current recalls will eventually be recalled a second time when a permanent fix is designed, Thomas said.
“Takata has a bad track record of cutting corners to put profits before safety, creating tragic consequences for drivers and families and then lying to federal regulators”, the statement continued.
Markey and Blumenthal have criticized the slow pace of Takata recalls and repairs.
Takata representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the lawsuit. The Tokyo-based company has said it followed safety procedures that met or exceeded regulatory requirements, and it doesn’t expect the accident to affect its ability to meet commitments made to customers.
The company says it complies with all government regulations and has strict protocols for transporting its products, according to the AP.
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NTSB investigators said they are on standby to assist should state officials request the agency’s assistance. So far, the department hasn’t found any hazardous-materials violations, he said.
