THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 23, 1996 TAG: 9601230318
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Metro Briefs
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 27 lines
An explosion and fire heavily damaged a house near Driver early Saturday when natural gas escaping from a pilot ignited when a woman tried to relight her furnace.
The blast knocked the metal garage door to the street, said Lt. Jeff Messinger, fire spokesman. Fire spread quickly from the garage to the attic, he said.
Damage was estimated at $80,000 to the house and contents, valued at $375,000. No one was hurt.
The incident happened about 9:26 a.m. in the 5600 block of Riverbluff Drive. Driver and Carrollton volunteer fire departments and Bennetts Creek Volunteer Rescue Squad responded. Firefighters stayed on the scene for more than six hours.
KEYWORDS: FIRE by CNB