Posted on 06/25/2002 10:05:51 AM PDT by ellery
RENO, Pa. -- A fire at a Venango County gas plant was still smoldering this morning but residents of nearby homes were allowed to return and Route 8 has been reopened.
As many as 25 explosions and a fire struck the Goss Gas plant around 8 last night. The blasts at the plant, which produces propane, critically injured three workers.
They were identified this morning as Eric Graham, 26, of Franklin, who has burns over 25 percent of his body; Valerie Sutton, 26, of Oil City, burns to 16 percent of her body; and Mitchell Eismont, 22, of Franklin, burned over 15 percent of his body. All three are in the burn center at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, to which they were flown last night.
The fire was still smoldering this morning, and firefighters remained on the scene to monitor the fire and prevent a flare-up.
Residents were evacuated but were allowed back in their homes this morning.
"There are two large storage tanks at the plant and any explosion could take out four blocks," said Lt. Mark Whitman of the Sugar Creek Police Department. "We evacuated those homes as a precautionary measure."
The initial explosions at the facility were in a large, corrugated metal building that contains a storage area for gas and oxygen and also company offices, Whitman said.
Authorities closed about 7 miles of Route 8 between Franklin and Oil City to all but emergency crews. The road was reopened today.
Nothing to see here. these things happen everyday.
Still no cause on any of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.