elite ATV1
02-01-2005, 03:09 PM
around 6*30 this morning in whitehall twn. a major fuel line exploded.....heres the coverage
POWERFUL EXPLOSION ROCKS LEHIGH VALLEY; DOZENS EVACUATED
S. WHITEHALL TWP., Lehigh Co. (WFMZ) A large explosion sent a ball of fire into the air and forced dozens of residents of South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County to flee their homes this morning. It happened at an Exxon-Mobil pipeline facility on Huckleberry Road around 6:30. A 69 News photographer on the scene reported flames soaring at least 50 feet high. And towering plumes of thick, black smoke could be seen for miles around the Lehigh Valley. WFMZ's Brittany Westbrook reports that about 30 nearby homes were evacuated, and that 15 people are staying at a shelter in the former Troxell Middle School and probably won't be able to go home tonight. And WFMZ's Carl Madonna reports that fuel to the burning pipeline has been shut off, but firefighters are still waiting for what remains in the line to burn off before they can get close enough to put out the fire. An oil company official tells the fire may burn late into the night or even into tomorrow. We'll have the very latest on this developing story for you in live, team coverage on 69 News at 5 & 6.
IMAGES FROM THE SCENE
TWO DRIVERS EXPERIENCE EXPLOSION AND LIVE TO TALK ABOUT IT
S. WHITEHALL TWP., Lehigh Co. (WFMZ) Two men driving their cars near the scene of this morning's explosion have quite a story to tell. Mike Shannon and Laurance Harris just happened to be passing by when the blast happened. "A fireball came right in to my truck. I mean his car was completely engulfed in flames," said Harris. "The hood of his car flew off in to the air. His car lifted off the ground like a foot from the blast and the flames came right back at my truck. At that point, I hit the brakes and I put it in reverse, but my truck wouldn't go. From that point, I opened by door to get out and that's when there were flames all over the ground." WFMZ's Jaccii Farris will have more of Harris and Shannon's story tonight on 69 News at 5:00 g[/IMG]http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex4.jpg http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex1.jpg http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex3.jpg http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex5.jpg
POWERFUL EXPLOSION ROCKS LEHIGH VALLEY; DOZENS EVACUATED
S. WHITEHALL TWP., Lehigh Co. (WFMZ) A large explosion sent a ball of fire into the air and forced dozens of residents of South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County to flee their homes this morning. It happened at an Exxon-Mobil pipeline facility on Huckleberry Road around 6:30. A 69 News photographer on the scene reported flames soaring at least 50 feet high. And towering plumes of thick, black smoke could be seen for miles around the Lehigh Valley. WFMZ's Brittany Westbrook reports that about 30 nearby homes were evacuated, and that 15 people are staying at a shelter in the former Troxell Middle School and probably won't be able to go home tonight. And WFMZ's Carl Madonna reports that fuel to the burning pipeline has been shut off, but firefighters are still waiting for what remains in the line to burn off before they can get close enough to put out the fire. An oil company official tells the fire may burn late into the night or even into tomorrow. We'll have the very latest on this developing story for you in live, team coverage on 69 News at 5 & 6.
IMAGES FROM THE SCENE
TWO DRIVERS EXPERIENCE EXPLOSION AND LIVE TO TALK ABOUT IT
S. WHITEHALL TWP., Lehigh Co. (WFMZ) Two men driving their cars near the scene of this morning's explosion have quite a story to tell. Mike Shannon and Laurance Harris just happened to be passing by when the blast happened. "A fireball came right in to my truck. I mean his car was completely engulfed in flames," said Harris. "The hood of his car flew off in to the air. His car lifted off the ground like a foot from the blast and the flames came right back at my truck. At that point, I hit the brakes and I put it in reverse, but my truck wouldn't go. From that point, I opened by door to get out and that's when there were flames all over the ground." WFMZ's Jaccii Farris will have more of Harris and Shannon's story tonight on 69 News at 5:00 g[/IMG]http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex4.jpg http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex1.jpg http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex3.jpg http://wfmz.com/images/scripts/ex5.jpg