THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 8, 1994 TAG: 9411080522
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
A explosion that sounded like a ``cannon shot'' belched flames that killed a teenager Monday and destroyed his home.
The first of two blasts about 4:10 p.m. ripped through the garage of 2609 Elon Drive in Cheltenham Square and spread flames to a neighboring home, heavily damaging it. No injuries were reported.
The victim died on the way to a nearby parking lot where an air ambulance waited, authorities said.
``I heard the explosion and looked out the window,'' said Joyce Worley, 32, a neighbor who lives across the street near London Bridge and Potters roads.
``I saw a burning body standing there,'' she said. ``He staggered through the yard and into the street, and fell in the street. They tried to lift him onto the grass because he was rolling around in the street. I was hysterical.''
Authorities said the victim was burned beyond recognition. An examination of the body by a medical examiner will be needed for official identification.
Police spokesman Mike Carey said a 15-year-old boy who lived in the house was unaccounted for.
Fire spokesman Chase Sargent said investigators don't know what caused the blast.
Neighbors said the boy was in the garage working with containers of gasoline.
Two nearby construction workers, James Metzger and Bobby Rock, said they smelled what they thought was natural gas after the explosion. The neighborhood is served by natural gas, Sargent said.
Metzger said there was about a three-minute gap between explosions, and the second blast was ``three times bigger'' than the first.
The second blast ``sounded like a plane crashed,'' said Metzger, 24.
``It was instant smoke, instant flames,'' said Rock, 21.
The explosions blew glass shards and debris into the streets and onto neighbors' lawns.
Worley said she saw the second explosion blow the side garage door away from the house.
Her husband, Jim, used a shirt to lift the burned boy and carried him into the Worleys' front yard.
Witnesses said the boy was moving but didn't appear conscious.
Several neighbors speculated that the first blast happened when stored gasoline in the garage ignited, spreading fire to other containers of gasoline.
A few neighbors said the boy was working on a car, although investigators could not confirm any of the theories.
Sargent said fire investigators will sift through the rubble to establish the cause.
He said he expected investigators to be at the home until late into the night. ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photo by David B. Hollingsworth
Virginia Beach firefighters battle flames at 2609 Elon Drive, right,
in Cheltenham Square Monday afternoon. After two explosions, the
flames spread to a neighbor's home.
Photo by David B. Hollingsworth
Firefighters knock down the door of the house at 2609 Elon Drive in
Virginia Beach, where one person died,
Color staff map
Area shown: 2609 Elon Drive.
by CNB