The Explosion Reporting

[lastone]

I didn't watch it in at the start, but I can only imaging the crap they put on air. Judging from what I've seen since 3PM.

"....the interstate has melted...."
First, under the origional Interstate System Laws, this Interstate is made of concrete. It is only covered with asphault.
Second, it didn't melt, it burned. It's made of heavy tar and gravel....much of the tar burned off leaving byproducts and a crumbling consistancy.

"....gas pressure in your home is 15 to 20 pounds of pressure...."
Please, check your facts before you speak. The pressure IN your home is usually under 15 OZ (ounces).
The pressure going to your meter could be 10 Lb, but the meter reduces it.

"....a gas WELL has exploded...."
This is still being reported at this time on national news sites.
Could someone please tell them the difference between a Well and a Gas Line?

And my favorite thing....from the "News Leader":
Don't show us the Governors news conference, just paraphrase it for us!

Gorsh......!

[genlock]

market leader spent a lot of time bouncing in and out of syndication.
Channel 8 had nobody in the newsroom when the news broke but the weather guy.
13 looked clueless for the early part (the part that mattered).

All had the location wrong by a half mile. They were relying on local reports by someone scared shitless.
13 spent a lot of time while the weather guy tried to learn google earth-on the air.
Only Bob AAron seemed to have a grasp of Methane and gas lines.

From early reports, It sounded like Lanham Compressor blew up.
Gas line described as huge. It was 20" line. If it was feeding underground storage, It may have been 1200 psi tho.
Nobody had a clue about the auto shutoff protectors for blowouts (not even BP).

Later in the day 13 stabilized, WSAZ finally ran out of syndication and spots, and wchs got a live truck out there and quit
trying to use cell-phone video live on the air.

All in all, not too bad for this market.

Did public radio even mention the problem?
Maybe when the backed up interstate traffic reached the station.

[genlock]

I tried locating the explosion from broadcast reports but all were wrong.
I went to google earth and followed the right-of-way back to the interstate and,
with street-view, identified a house that burnt in 10 minutes.

Check the google earth for a couple of slips in the interstate adjacent to the explosion
and discolored grass just where the pipe broke.

[EZ103.3FM]

The only footage I saw of the actual flames from ground level was 'home video' on WSAZ. Tim Irr identified the person who recorded the video as Billy Malashevich, who happened upon the explosion while driving on I-77. Irr correctly added that Malashevich was a former Marshall placekicker.

Malashevich scored Marshall's first points in WVU's stadium with a field goal in the 1997 game. He also kicked a game winning field goal on the last play of the game at South Carolina in 1998.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

WVMH stations had some ground level video of the flames. Looks like someone went the wrong way down I-77 to get to the location to shoot video.

Have no idea who shot it or where WOWK got it. Might even have been a staffer.