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American Morning

Pennsylvania: Rescue Crews Resume Search for Survivors of Natural Gas Explosion

Aired June 18, 2001 - 10:06   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In other news this morning, rescue crews are due to resume their search this hour in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, which is about 15 miles north of Philadelphia. Four people there are dead and as many as three are missing after rising floodwaters triggered a natural gas explosion in an apartment complex. This is just the latest deadly blow up from the remnants of tropical storm Allison.

CNN's Jason Carroll joins us with the latest. He is in Horsham, Pennsylvania this morning -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, the search for those who are still missing should resume just a few moments from now. If you take a look behind me, you can see just how badly damaged this building was during the blast. It blew off the front of the building and the ceiling as well. Firefighters believe a flash flood caused the natural gas explosion here late Saturday night.

The way witnesses tell it first, there was the high water than the smell of gas then the explosion. Victoria D'Aminco, a 75-year-old woman who I talked to, she lives 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, Leon, slowed firefighters' efforts here at the building and around the surrounding area. The water rose so quickly several people were actually trapped in their cars.

Now, there is one woman who actually had to be pulled from her car. They used, firefighters used rope to help her get out of that car. The very last of tropical storm Allison flooded some 300 homes in the area but most of the flooding was minor. The worst of what happened definitely happened right here at this apartment building.

Now, I can also tell you that this was, Leon, a flash flood. Basically that means the water came and went very quickly. In fact, where I'm standing right now, at one point this was actually, just a few days ago this weekend was underwater. We're standing right here by these rail lines. This rail line just happens to be down right now. It is out of service. In fact, there are several rain lines throughout the area that are down. We're told there are some 15,000 commuters who are going to be in trouble as they try to get around today -- Leon. HARRIS: Amazing what a difference a few hours can make in that kind of a situation. Jason Carroll reporting live this morning. Thank you.

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