THREE GAS EXPLOSIONS DESTROY MANY HOMES IN THREE WEEKS IN ARKANSAS - THREE DEAD AND SCORES INJURED
Explosions of homes everywhere. It seems to be an epidemic of house explosions caused by natural or propane gas leaks. This time it is Arkansas' turn. Three such explosions in a three week period, leaving 3 dead and scores injured. Based on the frequency of these explosions, we are concerned with the safety of the distribution piping for the natural gas and/or the safety aspects of the gas connections to the appliances. Some of these people are old and may not understand the risks that they are exposed to.
2 reported killed in Arkansas house explosion
Posted:
Nov 30, 2014 12:48 PM EST
Updated:
Nov 30, 2014 2:13 PM EST
Craighead County Sheriff told KAIT-TV that two people died and three were injured in the Saturday afternoon blast at the home between Lake City and Monette. Authorities say the two were among two children and three adults who were taken to area hospitals - but the names and ages of those killed were not immediately released.
Back in Arkansas, investigators are still on the scene of the house explosion gathering evidence as to what may have caused the third home explosion in Arkansas this month. Less than three weeks ago, a house exploded in Osceola, Arkansas. Three days later, the second explosion occurred in Mississippi County.
Assistant Lake City Fire Chief Herb Davis told The Jonesboro Sun that it appears there was a gas leak in the home and that the explosion occurred while a gas line was being connected to a propane tank. The cause is still under investigation.
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TWO HOUSES WERE DESTROYED AND 11 DAMAGED FROM NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION IN OSCEOLA, AR (WMC) -Nov. 12, 2014. 1 PERSON INJURED.
Two houses were destroyed and 11 others were damaged when a gas line caused an explosion in Osceola, Arkansas.
"I just heard a boom and it knocked everything off the walls," said Antoine Carnes, who boarded up parts of his damaged home. "At first I thought it might have been an earthquake."
According to the fire chief, the explosion happened in a house belonging to Debbie Porter, who is the only person with reported injuries at this time.
"She was burned, I do know that," Nadine Vaughn, whose mother's house was also damaged by the explosion. "Her skin was burned so they airlifted her, I believe, to Memphis."
"It's basically like a war zone or something happened," said Andre Harris, who lives next door. "And I'm just praying to God that Ms. Debbie, our neighbor, is alright. We're just thankful that my family is alright."
Harris' house, like Porter's, was destroyed.
"The damage done to my walls, you can even see the damage straight out to my neighbor's house," Harris said.
While investigators believe the explosion erupted from a utility gas line, they do not know what caused it.
"I'm thankful because, like I said, it could have been worse," Harris added. "I thank God that all this can be replaced."
THIRD ARKANSAS NATURAL GAS LEAK KILLS MOTHER, INJURES HER SON
Posted: Nov 15, 2014 5:18 PM EST Updated: Nov 16, 2014 11:21 AM EST
A 90-year-old woman is dead and her 62-year-old son is in the hospital after their home exploded on Saturday.
If a house explosion in Arkansas sounds familiar to you, it's because this is the second explosion to occur within the last four days.
Gladys Willbanks was killed in the blast and her son, Roger Willbanks, suffered severe burns.
The Keiser, Arkansas explosion happened before noon, but firefighters worked into the night to extinguish hot spots.
Investigators say they believe cold weather and a gas leak are to blame for Saturday's explosion. Fire officials say the family attempted to light a fire inside their home to stay warm, but since gas was in the air, the home exploded.
Roger Willbanks was flown to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis with severe burns.
WMC Action 5 was there as family and friends rushed inside the hospital Among those was relative Scott Adams, who's still in shock.
"It's just a freak accident, a freak accident, everybody is kind of in shock right now," said Adams.
Adams says Roger Willbanks is in stable condition.
"My personal opinion, they were two great people, two great people, that I know, and they were well-respected in the community," said Keiser Police Chief Ed Guthrie. "They had their heat on, they had a gas leak and they possibly put flames to where the gas was, and the gas exploded."
About three miles away from Saturday's explosion, a house still sits in ruin. The Red Cross says the blast, also caused by a gas leak on Wednesday, leveled two houses and damaged 11 more.
That explosion only injured one person. The homeowner was burnt, but is expected to survive.