(1)Where any of the following events occurs, namely.—
(a)the bursting, explosion or collapse of a pipe-line or any part thereof;
(b)the ignition of any thing in a pipe-line or of any thing which, immediately before it ignited, was in a pipe-line ;
notice of the event, in such form and accompanied by such particulars as may be specified by the Minister, shall forthwith be given by the owner of the pipe-line to the Minister.
(2)If a person fails to satisfy an obligation to which he is subject by virtue of the foregoing subsection he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds.
(1)The Minister may, where he thinks it expedient so to do, direct an inquiry to be held in accordance with the provisions of the Fifth Schedule to this Act into an event notice of which is required by the last foregoing section to be given.
(2)An inquiry held under this section shall be held in public except where or to the extent that it appears to the Minister expedient in the interests of national security to direct otherwise.
(3)Where, in the case of an event in Scotland that causes the death of a person, the Minister directs an inquiry to be held under this section, no inquiry with regard to that death shall, unless the Lord Advocate otherwise directs, be held in pursuance of the Fatal Accidents Inquiry (Scotland) Act, 1895.