It was 35 years ago today that Pelahatchie Bay blew up. A gas main under the Rez somehow blew up. Flames shot up to 700 feet in the air as satellites notice the explosion. Thankfully, no one was hurt nor were any homes destroyed. Take a step back in time and check out the original news articles posted below.
10 comments:
I absolutely remember this, and I was a kiddo then. We were living over in Castlewoods at the time. If I recall correctly, it was early in the morning when it happened, still dark outside. It was loud enough to wake us up and the blaze could be seen from our house that far away.
Impressive. Nothing neat like this happens so much anymore. Guess our safety measures are doing well.
@8:53 - Yes, it was very early, way before daylight. I was on my way east from Jackson on I-20 going hunting and could hear the rumble and see the glow from the interstate.
Living on Lakeside Dr off Spillway at the time. Woke up to see a glow in the bedroom and the roar of a jet engine! Went outside to look to the north and it literally looked like it was in the middle of Pelahatchie Bay. Knew exactly what it was because that 30" line runs behind the houses on the east side of Lakeside. That new Northshore Subdivision on Northshore Parkway is built all around the pipeline. Hope it never happens again because lives could be lost!
We lived out in the Country and had no outdoor lights. I heard the explosion and went outside and saw a mushroom above the flames. At first I thought it was an atomic bomb but then the sound was still loud. I thought it was Canton Butane that blew up and since I had friends in the area I jumped in my truck and headed that way and as I got closer to Canton I realized that it was more south and then I thought it was a commercial plane crash. On the way to the scene good ole Randy Bell announced on WJDX that it was a pipeline explosion . It was the big news when I later went to Jimbos for a pre hunt breakfast.Thanks for the memory.
For those who still don't consider KF a "real journalist," I give you Exhibits A-D.: The posted clippings from the Clarion Ledger's heyday.
As far as I can tell, the four articles appear to consist of nothing more than interviewing "sources," many of whom are spokespeople paid to issue statements, and organizing what they said on paper. I see no evidence of independent fact finding or investigation, only quotes from those who are obviously biased, people who provides such gems as these:
"Generally speaking, when something like this happens, the line is usually damages by some outside activity or by internal problems."
Perhaps we, as a nation, were more inclined to trust the powers that be in the 1980s. Or maybe that's just what was taught in journalism classes at the time. I really don't know, but this type of reporting did not age well.
I remember that night very well.
I think it even awakened a Late-night/early morning DJ at ZZQ.
Patricia Washington dropped her Gah Gin drank that night.
We were one month into our marriage (man & woman) and living in the newly constructed Sunchase apartments at the time. Our apartment faced in the direction of the reservoir so the explosion immediately woke us and we watched it burn before work. (Yes, people worked in those days) Must have been a good omen because we are happily married to this day! Thanks for sharing!
I remember it well. We were on a houseboat when the explosion created a tsunami like wave and pushed us up on the opposite shore. The flash from the explosion attracted aliens from a passing spaceship, which landed near us.
We were forced on board the spaceship and taken into space for a few hours but returned to the shore unharmed. This is the first time that I shared this no shit story.
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