ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 TAG: 9701290064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DANVILLE
A gas line exploded in a church while a group of senior citizens was hearing a lecture by a city firefighter on fire safety. No one was hurt.
About 40 people were attending the lecture Tuesday at Keen Street Baptist Church when the explosion occurred.
``I had just started to smell it, and before I could get to that point and tell them it smelled like there was a gas leak in the building, we heard it and saw the fire,'' said firefighter Shelby Irving, who was giving the lecture.
The Rev. Mike Campbell, pastor of the 93-year-old church, said damage was minimal.
Deputy Fire Chief Robert Anderson said the explosion blew out some ceiling tiles and light fixtures, and a couple of windows were shattered.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 27 linesby CNB