Lake Wilson, Minnesota Virtually Destroyed By Explosion

Local Media | Minneapolis News

[Diddle E. Squat]

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_013135058.html

Explosion Rocks Lake Wilson In SW Minnesota

Jan 13, 2004 12:46 pm US/Central
Lake Wilson, Minn. (AP) An explosion destroyed two fire halls and shattered windows at business along Main Street in Lake Wilson, Minnesota, authorities said Tuesday.

Broadcast report

No injuries were immediately reported in the blast, which occurred around 11:15 p.m. Monday. The cause of the explosion remained under investigation.

"It was quite a boom. They heard it probably 20 miles away," Mayor Neal Gilbertson said.

Gilbertson, who lives three blocks away from the blast site, said the force of the explosion knocked dishes out of his cupboards.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty was scheduled to survey the damage Tuesday afternoon.

One of the fire houses all but disappeared in the blast, while the explosion knocked the other one down, said Don Nielsen, city maintenance supervisor.

"One's totally gone and there ain't much left of the other," Nielsen said.

Homes within about two blocks also were damaged, and the main power line through the town of roughly 300 was knocked down, he said.

Lake Wilson is in Murray County, about 40 miles south of Marshall.

[cavtrooper21]

You anywhere near this???

[Diddle E. Squat]

FYI, this happened almost 24 hours ago, and no injuries were reported.

[I_love_weather]

[terilyn]

[I_love_weather]

[I_love_weather]

[ThePythonicCow]

Lake Wilson, Minnesota

Back to Minnesota, United States.

Current weather forecast for Lake Wilson, MN

Population (year 2000): 270
Males: 136 (50.4%), Females: 134 (49.6%)

Land area: 0.4 square miles

Zip code: 56151

Median resident age: 44.4 years
Median household income: $28,375 (year 2000)
Median house value: $22,200 (year 2000)

Races in Lake Wilson:

• White Non-Hispanic (95.2%)
• Hispanic (4.1%)
• American Indian (0.7%)
• Two or more races (0.7%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (51.5%), Dutch (25.6%), Norwegian (19.6%), Swedish (6.7%), Irish (4.1%), English (3.3%).

[I_love_weather]

[I_love_weather]

It was a miracle people were not killed...

[I_love_weather]

[sarasmom]

Do they have a cause yet?

[DouglasKC]

A couple of years ago a house a mile away blew up due to a a propane explosion. Hit happened at around 6 in the morning. Both my wife and I were snapped out of a sound sleep and were doing a "What the ... was that??". I got up looked around and didn't see anything unusual. Clear skies, no thunder, went back to sleep. Went into town later that morning, turned the corner and there was nothing left of the house but debris. Literally. There was a cement foundation, the propane tank and sticks, insulation, scraps of metal everywhere. You could tell the direction of the explosiong by where the most debris was. Killed both occupants of the house. They found their bodies in several parts in some surrounding trees.

[terilyn]

Thanks for posting the pictures. Incredible. I cannot believe nobody was hurt.

[_Jim]

Lake Wilson, Minnesota

Back to Minnesota, United States.

Current weather forecast for Lake Wilson, MN

Population (year 2000): 270
Males: 136 (50.4%), Females: 134 (49.6%)

Additional notation: In 2004 half the town was destroyed when a propane tank was kicked over by a cow owned by one Mrs. O'Leery. The vapors from the now-valveless tank were soon ignited when a pump motor kicked on, explosively igniting the vapors ...

[Dog Gone]

Gilbertson, who lives three blocks away from the blast site, said the force of the explosion knocked dishes out of his cupboards.

Stop the presses.

[Moonman62]

Population (year 2000): 270

I wonder if they ever got a Hee Haw salute.

[nepdap]

One of the fire houses all but disappeared in the blast, while the explosion knocked the other one down, said Don Nielsen, city maintenance supervisor.

How does a town with 170 people get to have TWO fire stations?

[rwfromkansas]

info appears pretty exaggerated based on further reports.....almost every single building appears to be doing just fine.