
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 15, 1991                   TAG: 9103150307
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: George Kegley
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

QUARRY ALTERS BLASTING PATTERN

Officials of Martinsville Stone Corp. said they have taken several steps to prevent a recurrence of the accident that damaged four homes Wednesday near a stone quarry at Collinsville.

Larry Bullock, area manager of W.W. Boxley Co. of Roanoke, owner of Martinsville Stone, said the company is making technical changes in the design of the blasting "to make sure this will never occur again."

The company will not aim a blast in the direction of the homes and will notify nearby residents when a blast occurs, he said. The blasts last less than a second and occur about twice a month, he said.

The state Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy completed an investigation of the blast Thursday and directed the company to submit a revised blasting plan. Abney Boxley, president of the parent company, said he does not expect any problem with the plan as a result of the investigation.

Bullock said the accident was caused by "a one-in-a-thousand chance of several factors combined." He described it as "a freak occurrence involving cracks in rock, the location of those cracks and the direction of the blast."

He said his company found no fault with its procedures or those of ETI Explosive Co. of Atlanta, the blasting firm.

Boxley said insurance would cover damage to the houses.

by CNB