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CNN Live At Daybreak

Allison Wrecks Havoc in Eastern Pennsylvania

Aired June 18, 2001 - 08:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: More on the aftermath of tropical storm Allison. Nearly two weeks after blowing ashore in Texas, what's left of Allison has blown out to sea from New England and it leaves a heavy toll, at least 43 deaths. Four people died at an apartment house in suburban Philadelphia, others may still be missing in the rubble of the flood and fire.

CNN's Jason Carroll is in Horsham, Pennsylvania, and Jason, that was quite a picture behind you there.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Carol. There are two people who are still missing who lived inside this apartment behind me. If you take a look at you can see what the force of the explosion did to the building. It blew out the front of it, blew off the ceiling. Firefighters believe a flash flood caused the natural gas explosion at this apartment building on Saturday night.

The way witnesses tell it first there was high water, then the smell of gas, then the explosion.

Victoria D'Aminco, a 75-year-old woman who I found she lived on the second floor of the building. She told me she thought if the fire didn't get her then the high water would. She and many like her had to be rescued by boats that were brought in by firefighters and volunteers.

The high water, as you can imagine, Carol, slowed firefighters efforts at the building and around the area. The water rose so quickly several people were trapped in their cars around the -- around south eastern Pennsylvania. Rescue crews used rope to help pull one woman from her car. She was trapped for a short period of time.

The very last of tropical storm Allison flooded at least 300 homes in the area, but the worst, obviously, of what happened is right here at this apartment building where four are dead and at least two are still missing.

LIN: All right. And as the search continues there, Jason, I'm wondering if the aftermath of Allison is going to effect other people who are trying to get into the city to go to work this morning?

CARROLL: Absolutely, Carol. In fact, if we can pull out a little bit here you can see that there is actually a rail line right next to me. At one point this rail line was underwater. There are several rail lines that are down throughout the area. That's going to effect at least 12,000 commuters. And they're trying to get an estimate as to when those rail lines will be back up and in service, Carol.

LIN: Boy, hard to believe that tropical storm Allison could do that much damage in such a short amount of time. Thank you very much. Jason Carroll on the scene in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

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