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

DATE: MONDAY, January 2, 1995                   TAG: 9501030105
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LISA GARCIA
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CAR SMASHES INTO PUMPS AT GAS STATION

A car veered off Bent Mountain Road and demolished two gas pumps at Bill's Quick Stop around noon Saturday after the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Chief Randy Wimmer of Company 8 of the Roanoke County Fire Department said the pumps erupted into flames and burned for about five minutes, but were easily doused. The owner of the store at 9969 Bent Mountain Road recently had installed pumps designed with an automatic cutoff in case of just such an accident.

``If they [the pumps[ had been the older type, who knows what would have happened,'' Wimmer said.

Roanoke County police are investigating the accident. The name of the driver was not available.

Wimmer said the driver was not injured. He did not know whether the man had been wearing a seat belt.

The car was reported being airborne after crashing through the two pumps, he said. It came to rest against a parked car.

Wimmer estimated damages as at least $40,000. The store owner said the gas pumps had cost $30,000 to install this past fall, Wimmer said.

A company specializing in hazardous waste spills was called in to clean up. Only a small amount of fuel leaked, however, and the spill was contained by fire personnel, Wimmer said.

by CNB