Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 8, 1995 TAG: 9509080096
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Seconds later, he saw a man running from the National Welders Supply Co. Inc. building just off Roanoke Street near Kiwanis Park.
The man told Gardner he was the only person who had been inside. The officer radioed for fire and rescue crews to respond.
"As soon as he ran across the lot, that's when the flames came shooting out," said Gardner, who momentarily took cover behind a front-end loader and said he heard the explosion more than saw it.
"Then there was a series of several explosions after that as those tanks got hot," Gardner said.
The windows of the building blew out in the first explosion, he said. Other police and fire department members said propane tanks shot from the building, one landing in a parking lot where fire engines were stationed.
The explosion happened about 4:30 p.m., and billowing black smoke was visible from as far away as the North Franklin Street and Peppers Ferry Road intersection near New River Valley Mall.
Christiansburg Fire Chief Jimmy Epperly said the man who ran from the building was taken to Montgomery Regional Hospital. Steve Turner was treated and released, according to a nursing supervisor.
Epperly said it looked at that time that he was burned pretty badly. Turner was able to tell the chief he was unloading a truck when the explosion happened.
Epperly was not sure at about 5:30 p.m. what had caused the explosion at the storage facility, where several types of gas were kept. He said later Thursday that he was pretty certain it was accidental.
About 50 firefighters from Christiansburg, Elliston, Blacksburg and Riner brought the fire under control in an hour, keeping a watchful eye on two above-ground storage tanks, trees and other structures surrounding the building.
Staff writer Matt Chittum contributed information to this story.
by CNB