Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991 TAG: 9103140191
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By Associated Press
DATELINE: COLLINSVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Officials from the state Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy were investigating the incident Wednesday, said Bill Roller, director of the Division of Mineral Mining.
Roller said W.W. Boxley Co., which owns Martinsville Stone, has been ordered to suspend blasting until the investigation is complete.
James Doss said he was standing in his carport Tuesday afternoon when he heard an explosion, looked up and saw "small boulders" flying toward his house. One of the rocks destroyed a basketball goal, then smashed through the brick wall of his home about six feet from where he was standing.
The rock left a foot-wide hole visible from the outside of the house. Inside, where the rock emerged from the wall in the living room, a hole almost 6 feet in diameter could be seen behind a broken bookshelf. The floor was littered with books, broken ceramic and porcelain knickknacks and trophies won by the Doss children.
Two other rocks knocked holes in Doss' garage roof and wall.
Donald Martin, who lives across the street from Doss, said stones knocked a gutter loose and damaged a fender of his wife's car. But he said he had more grave concerns.
"What if my kids had been out here when it happened?" he asked as he stood next to a rock that came to rest less than four feet from a tire swing in his front yard. "I'm afraid to let my kids play out in the yard now."
At least two other houses in the neighborhood, about a half-mile from the stone quarry, also were damaged, residents said.
Larry Bullock, area manager for W.W. Boxley Co., said the firm was conducting its own investigation. ETI Explosive Co., the Atlanta-based company doing the blasting, also was investigating, Bullock said.
Roller said there are no penalties that could be levied against either company because of the incident.
by CNB