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UPDATE: Explosion Mystery was Likely Propane Tank Save Email Print
Posted: 11:46 PM Jul 19, 2008
 Last Updated: 6:48 PM Jul 22, 2008
 Reporter: Michael Wooten
Email Address: michael.wooten@wsaz.com
95 comments
A | A | A

UPDATE: Tuesday @ 1:06pm
CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A firefighter with the Ohio River Road Fire Department tells WSAZ that Saturday's loud noise in northern Cabell County was likely a propane tank explosion.

The firefighter says investigators found evidence of some sort of fire on the riverbank -- and that a man who said he was fishing on the Ohio River showed up at the emergency room that night with burns from a propane tank explosion.

No word yet on the man's name or how seriously he was hurt.


ORIGINAL STORY: Saturday @ 11:46pm
CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Emergency workers are trying to find out what caused an explosion in northern Cabell County late Saturday night.

In fact, crews haven't even pinpointed where or how the explosion happened.

Neighbors heard and felt the explosion around 10:45 p.m. Saturday near Kyle Lane, which is just off Route 2 south of the Merritt's Creek Connector in Cabell County.

People in Athalia, across the Ohio River, say they saw and felt the explosion. Some reported seeing a fire ball.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
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Posted by: Corena on Jul 25, 2008 at 05:46 PM
I live in Olive Hill Kentucky and I just found out that the mystery explosion was on the news. I was at my mothers house on Three Pine and I know that I had to have seen the same explosion that everyone else has been talking about.....but like I said I live in Olive Hill. I was standing on my mothers front porch and I was looking over in through the hills when I heard a loud boom! Seconds after that I seen this very large.....well it looked as if it was a shower of fire going upward and then back down. It made the loud booming sound about 3 or 4 times. It scared me so bad that I ran into the house and turned on the news to see if anything had or was going to be posted, but it didnt while I was there and so I just went home. A couple of days ago my mom told me that it was on the news.....so I thought that I would let you all know that I seen it too!!!
Posted by: Sharon on Jul 24, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Anybody hurt, any property damaged.....Get over it
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 24, 2008 at 04:05 AM
i live 1 mile out on big seven mile and heard it.
Posted by: cob on Jul 23, 2008 at 06:19 AM
What size was this tank? I seriously doubt a small tank a man would take fishin would shake the earth. duh. So, Cobs' theory, bunch of people sayin they felt somthin that they only heard. remember the earthquake 500 miles away our genuis residents "felt"
Posted by: Shane on Jul 23, 2008 at 12:39 AM
I work at Alcon Labs. From what our boss said, it was right across the railroad tracks. It wasn't at Alcon, though.
Posted by: Ace on Jul 22, 2008 at 11:16 PM
What kind of update is this, just like most of the news around here ,they start reporting on things going on before they have most of the facts. WSAZ NEEDS TO GET OFF THEIR BUTTS AND DO A LITTLE FOOT WORK.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 22, 2008 at 07:14 PM
Fire Chief is saying that the propane tank theory and everything else is only theory. They seem to be investigating still, but I think that this story was only update because people wanted it to be--it has very little to do with new information or anything remotely conclusive...
Posted by: lou on Jul 22, 2008 at 05:08 PM
i think it was sheep blowing up sissssss boooom bahhhhhh
Posted by: TIM on Jul 22, 2008 at 03:01 PM
Propane Tank? Thanks for all the hard work, gumshoes! So glad WSAZ is on top of things...You know, dealing with the "maybes" and the "possiblies." Or "maybe" your station over-reacted again and now the people want you to actually come up with an answer? This station is too ridiculous to watch anymore.
Posted by: GARY on Jul 22, 2008 at 02:47 PM
I BET I KNOW WHAT IT WAS,,IT WAS A EXPLODEING TARGET,,CALLED TANNERITE,MOST PEOPLE PROBLY NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE,,YOU MIX INGREDIENTS IN A JAR AND GET BACK AND SHOOT THE JAR WITH A HIGH POWERED RIFLE AND IT GOES KABOOOOOOM,,,VERY VERY VERY LOUD,,YES IT WILL SHAKE HOUSES,,BUT IT MAKES NO FIRE AT ALL THOUGH,,,,,ITS SOLD ON THE INTERNET,,JUST TYPE IN TANNERITE AND CHECK IT OUT,,,IT IS AWSOME STUFF AND FUN TO SET OFF,,,WATCH UTUBE VIDEOS TOO,,,THIS STUFF IS UNREAL VERY LOUD AND GROUND POUNDING,,,SHOULD BE DONE OUT IN THE COUNTRY AWAY FROM TOWN LOL,,,,,,ANYBODY HEARD OF IT BEFORE?
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 22, 2008 at 01:30 PM
the state department did it so they could see how many idiots blow it out of proportion....worked didn't it
Posted by: Megatron on Jul 22, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Starsream has returned to avenge what has happened. Your time has come autobots!!!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 22, 2008 at 08:19 AM
hey WSAZ...What is the update!!!!! Do your job!
Posted by: Anon on Jul 22, 2008 at 05:31 AM
I agree with P-ville, Small propane canisters for Lanterns and coleman camp stoves do not normally blow up. There is a Safety valve that prevents that. Looks kind of like a tire valve. When the seals get too much pressure or heat, they blow out and you have a very large torch.
Posted by: Jessica on Jul 22, 2008 at 01:17 AM
This whole story is kind of creepy. If I lived in Cabell County I'd probably be really creeped out right now. It all seems rather suspicious.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 05:51 PM
IT WAS A PROPANE TANK A KID IS SERIOUSLY INJURED, IT WASNT A UFO OR A METH LAB OR THE GOVERNMENT
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 05:15 PM
what kind of parents let their kids go fishing and have a liter and a propane tank? Kids are about stupid sometimes and there is no way I allow my child to build a fire while out fishing, nor would I allow them access to a propane tank. That is the point in being a parent, you are to supervise. These kids could be dead now all because the parents didn't take the time to supervise their kids or investigate everything to make sure it is safe for them. My goodness people. Kids will be kids, but this is a situation that could have been quite deadly and could have been prevented.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 02:51 PM
ok everybody it was not a METH LAP ok
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:15 PM
or a meth lab
Posted by: Strange Science on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:03 PM
I was in Applewood in Proctorville ohio and I heard this. My house didn't shake but it was quite an explosion. I would think that it was a meth lab of some sort. The whole propane story sounds valid as well. I think if it were a plane crash then it would have been louder & of course they would have found some sort of evidence - survivors or not.
Posted by: P-ville on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:49 AM
What kind of propane tank are you referring to? The kind that goes on gas grills or the small ones that go on Coleman stoves? I don't think either of those would have caused an explosion that big...I mean, big enough to be heard and felt about 5 miles away
Posted by: Chris on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I was driving through Guyandotte about that time and actually heard a loud noise but it didn't knock me off my seat like it did with Eugenia.
Posted by: T on Jul 21, 2008 at 10:05 AM
I would have to say another meth lab. These people are making them mobile now so it is harder to find.
Posted by: Gaynell on Jul 21, 2008 at 09:38 AM
I think maybe this might be an example of a meteor exploding in the atmosphere.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 07:10 AM
there was thes kids that were fishing and one of them went to get fishing bat when he got back his friends were gone he did not know that they throw a propain tank in the fire that they made
Posted by: Mason County on Jul 21, 2008 at 07:09 AM
I was in my pool about 10:45 Saturday night looking at the sky and saw a large flash. It was very quick, like heat lightning, but there was no noise. If that was the explosion I can't imagine what is was like being close to it.
Posted by: Anon on Jul 21, 2008 at 06:20 AM
probably just one more idiot blowing up his/her meth lab! No biggie here in H'town otherwise known as drug heaven or the surrounding area!
Posted by: WVZ71 on Jul 21, 2008 at 06:08 AM
I live on Kyle lane and had the things in my house move when it happened..The wife and I ran outsite to see if we could see anything....NOTHING...I walked the river bank with the cops and found one small fire burning downriver from the block plant and one Dave was fishing at just upriver at Arrow concrete....Also heard the rumor of a kid getting burnt bad that had thrown something in a fire....But that was just last night.....
Posted by: anna on Jul 21, 2008 at 04:34 AM
me my husband and some friends where fishing at the old locks and dam in proctorville when the explosion happened we seen it all it started out like someone was just starting a normal bomb fire on the river thent here was a big fire ball that lite up the whole area it looked wicked then a big boom it shook that whole concrete lock it was scary there was police going up both sides of the river trying to find out what happen we told the fire truck on ohio side what happen if it was some kids thanks alot after that happen the fish did not bite all night
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 03:48 AM
Ok people be serious those who live in the area should really be concerned... it wasnt a meth lab duh they would know and i was watching the news about a ufo shooting beams on a test missle we launched.. then maybe it was a minor bombing... i am majorly concerned and i want to know cuz im hearing of murdders left and right where i live so i honestly think its time to take action... the goverment cops or whoever neeed to give us an update cuz i want to know what to worry about and what not worry about...
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:48 AM
Hope ya didn't pee on yourself. Most likely it was the propane tank theory.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 21, 2008 at 12:46 AM
ok well it was not spray cans because 3 can can not do any thing like that and the exsplosen had to be from some kind of gas to create a fire ball but some one on the river bank could had a fire and put something in it and after the explosen put out the fire and then thoke the evidence with them
Posted by: Dave on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:49 PM
I just talked to a police officer who was on one of the patrols that night and he said that it WAS a propane tank that some kids threw in a fire up on kyle lane.But they werent on the river bank cause we were there all night and we had the only fire on the bank all down river and we didnt see any fireball just a flash of light.
Posted by: anon-1 on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:10 PM
I looked up Kyle Lane on Google Maps and Kyle Lane is next to Newland Field. I was assuming it may have been a plane but if it was, something would have been found. So probably not a plane. Alcon Laboratories is also on Kyle Lane. Could it have been something at the Alcon? At maps.google.com, search "Kyle Lane, Huntington, WV" without quotes and it will take you directly to Kyle Lane.
Posted by: WHAT!!!! on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:42 PM
I'll bet it was a UFO alien dude cooking meth!
Posted by: Tim on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:34 PM
I was listening to the police scanner...people in Rome county across the river had their houses shake as well. To the other Tim.....its not made up...if you are complaining about the news WSAZ is reporting on, why are you here reading articles lol
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:18 PM
meth lab? meth trailer? I'm sure it can be found!
Posted by: Mark on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:17 PM
Holy Meth Lab, Batman!!!
Posted by: Cletus on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:10 PM
I know Senator Byrd hasn't been feeling well lately. I just wonder if the old man's bowels finally broke loose? That would explain everything! Everyone knows that he's been full of it for many years now, maybe it has finally let loose! Imagine all that built up pressure being released at once, it would probably sound like an explosion!
Posted by: Eugenia on Jul 20, 2008 at 08:48 PM
I was on the commode and it knocked me off in into the bathroom floor
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 08:34 PM
the kids are into sprakler bombs these days.
Posted by: warren jenkins on Jul 20, 2008 at 08:21 PM
My`Wife, and Grandson,were`walking,up the lane, and had stopped to count planes,passing, eastward. My Wife, said she was watching,what she thought,was`a`Plane,and then,She`seen A Fir
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 07:44 PM
it was a propane tank put in a fire from the kids fishing on the river bank one kid was burnt
Posted by: Sue on Jul 20, 2008 at 06:59 PM
The cans sound like homemade fireworks. But would the explosion be strong enough to produce effects like what is being described? Can a meth lab blow up on its own? Would it not have caused a major fire?
Posted by: Larry on Jul 20, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Susan Nicholas had a part in the Mothman Movie as a reporter. No resolution to Mothman. Susan Nicholas reports on the WSAZ news about mysterious explosion on Ohio River Road. No resolution to this either. Coincidence? I don't think so.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 05:16 PM
Spontaneous Combustion!!
Posted by: d on Jul 20, 2008 at 05:06 PM
thats very odd, that an explosion with this much attention and how widespread the noise... but the fire dept's were "probably not" going to do any more research as to what it was... it's a cover up.. GOV'T MISHAP trying to be covered up before it's exposed!
Posted by: TIM on Jul 20, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Or maybe it never happened, and Channel 3 is blowing it out of the water and trying to make up for their incompetent reporting by calling it a "mystery"
Posted by: RoaneCo. on Jul 20, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Sounds to me like someone was doing a little redneck fishing. You know...T.N.T!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Probably someone's meth lab
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 04:07 PM
If it has been an airplane we would've know, especialy since i was standing on my porch facing the airport when it happened.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Seems like maybe it was a tiolet bowl bomb! The kids do this all the time!
Posted by: Shelly on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:07 PM
I live in Barboursville and was up when it happened. I heard it come across my police scanner...I did not hear the explosion...surprised I did not. I do remember feeling a strange vibration, but thought it was a train. I am wondering if someone was out in the woods making meth? The stuff used for that could have caused a flash explosion couldn't it?
Posted by: Dave on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:00 PM
I wrote the comment earlier about the flash of light and explosion when some friends and I were fishing on the ohio river bank at the end of kyle lane last night. Just wondering, I wonder if that could have been a "mortor bomb"? You know like the ones at the fireworks show that have a big flash then a groundshaking boom! Because after i saw the flash that i thought was a barge spotlight(just a milisecond before the boom),never did see a barge. There was a group of police officers patroling the river bank afterwords and said they found some burnt limbs. So if someone had got ahold of one of these "mortor bombs",and set one off on the river,then maybe that explains the burnt limbs,the flash and the big boom, since they are normally shot high in the air,which they can still shake the ground when they explode from that height.Just a thought.
Posted by: Tessa on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:41 PM
I think they should take a plane or whatever up and search the area... I live in Cabell County so i would like to know what it was...
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:50 PM
any update
Posted by: Denise on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:57 AM
We live over a mile from Kyle Lane and the explosion woke my husband up! I do hope they find out what it was...
Posted by: bonn on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:56 AM
I heard this explosion from inside my house and I live almost to Nine Mile. I also went out and looked around. Saw nothing. I am still curious.
Posted by: Mingo on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:46 AM
It was a crashed UFO - that would be cool. Cabell Co. could be the new Roswell. Or it was a Meth lab out in the country.
Posted by: ALF on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Simple. It was a meteor!
Posted by: Deb on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Anything new on this story?
Posted by: Dave on Jul 20, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Me and some friends were fishing on the ohio river @ Arrow concrete, which is at the end of kyle lane. I actually saw a bright light flash up river maybe .5 seconds before the boom. I thought it was a barge comin down river and hit somethin. One of the guys with us said he saw a couple jets (armed services) fly over at the same time and said that they caused a "sonic boom", but who even knows?
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 10:22 AM
my whole house shook making some of my pictures fall off the wall i live near kyle lane and thought it had to be an explosion at either alcon or arrow concrete company
Posted by: Rose on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:58 AM
Frightening explosion. House shook, windows rattled, things on shelves moved. Looked outside but saw nothing. Hope the cause can be found.
Posted by: Donna on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:02 AM
Lots of oil and gas wells being drilled right now in Cabell. Any connection?
Posted by: P-ville on Jul 20, 2008 at 08:58 AM
My wife and I live in Proctorville just off the bypass and we heard it
Posted by: Brian on Jul 20, 2008 at 08:34 AM
Pardon my sarcastic nature, but aren't we ignoring the obvious (let us hope law enforcement has make this conclusion as well) - but don't certian ILLEGAL chemical manufacturing processes have a HIGH risk of explosion and are generaslly conducted in remote or "hidden" areas? The bigger the "batch" and the more chemicals around, the larger the explosion! I remember reading about a meth explosion in Iowa that took out three homes and was felt 20 miles away.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 08:29 AM
why is it when something like this happens no one knows nothing about it?
Posted by: reader on Jul 20, 2008 at 07:02 AM
my guess would be a....meth lab?
Posted by: Anon. on Jul 20, 2008 at 06:42 AM
Did they search the river? Boat explosion?
Posted by: cob on Jul 20, 2008 at 06:03 AM
mothman
Posted by: Justin Smith on Jul 20, 2008 at 04:31 AM
I live over in Barboursville and I thought I heard an explosion. I never really took anything into consideration because this is West Virginia, a lot of things happen here. I never really thought that there wouldn't be a trace of what the explosion was. One of my freinds was telling me that maybe it was aliens, but yet it might not. It could have been maybe a satillite or something that exploded from the sky, or maybe a bomb, and it landed in the Ohio River. Who knows? Nobody knows for now.
Posted by: annonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 04:09 AM
clue: woods behind Hercules
Posted by: jamie on Jul 20, 2008 at 03:52 AM
my boyfriend and his buddys were down by the river on kyle lane when the explosion happened. they keep calling me to find out information on the web site. what in the world could that explosion been?
Posted by: meth?? on Jul 20, 2008 at 03:28 AM
could have been a meth lab.
Posted by: Sue on Jul 20, 2008 at 03:07 AM
Secret government experiment, anyone? It is very odd.
Posted by: Ron on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:32 AM
Probably a bolide, a type of meteor that explodes before it crashes to earth. In the early 19th century, there was a very large explosion of this type in an area of Siberia known as Tungaska. It leveled an area for miles. This is why they can't find anything except scorched trees. They won't find anything, either. Aeresol cans? I think not.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:26 AM
My guess is it was an airplane that hit the river. It was too loud to be anything else and it was right next to the airport.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:11 AM
We were sitting outside in Proctorville and the explosion was very loud from as far away as we were.
Posted by: billy on Jul 20, 2008 at 02:01 AM
ufo
Posted by: Evil Genius on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:58 AM
Im gonna go with a meteorite exploding before impact.
Posted by: ME on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:51 AM
i think that it was probably some type of possibly terorism(cant spell) or possibly a ufo because i heard on the news about a ufo beaming on a missile we sent up.. so maybe it was that... idk but id love to know what exactly it was
Posted by: luv2know on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:51 AM
an explosion that loud and cant find any traces?? we would really luv2know what happened!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:36 AM
Maybe it was God!! Have you thought about it??
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:28 AM
i live on E pea ridge and have heard sirens for the last hour or two moving around, what is going on?
Posted by: scott on Jul 20, 2008 at 01:22 AM
any up dateds I mean it has been 1 1/2 since the happened
Posted by: scot on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:45 AM
we heard the noise 2.5 miles n on RT 2 to the extent our 2 dogs started barking. I thought it was a train derail. scot
Posted by: Chris on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:41 AM
maybe it was a small volcanic eruption?????
Posted by: ken on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:21 AM
saw a large airplane flying exstreamly low circling mingo & logan county line about 10:30pm scared me
Posted by: jobaby on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:19 AM
maybe it was a meth lab. or a meteor.
Posted by: Brian on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:14 AM
There is a small private airport in that area
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:07 AM
maybe someone fat farted
Posted by: Dawn on Jul 19, 2008 at 11:57 PM
It was a big explosion, that's for sure... and I would love to know what it was.
Posted by: annonymous on Jul 19, 2008 at 11:55 PM
maybe it was an airplane????
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 19, 2008 at 11:52 PM
ka-boom
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