Sissonville , Kanawha County , West Virginia

Kanawha County school officials were sending school buses Tuesday evening to schools in Sissonville to take home several hundred students who sheltered in place following a huge gas line explosion.

School officials said the buses would use the back roads to take students home from Sissonville High School, Sissonville Middle School and Sissonville Elementary School. The explosion forced the closure of Interstate 77 and Route 21.

The gas line explosion occurred about 12:40 p.m., destroying five homes and damaging a number of other residences. Officials said no fatalities or serious injuries occurred.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross will be at Aldersgate United Methodist Church to offer shelter to people affected by the incident. The Red Cross said it would remain at the church Tuesday night and Wednesday to provide assistance.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for updates on this developing story.

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Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said the state Fire Marshal's Office confirmed Tuesday that there were no fatalities in a huge gas pipeline explosion in Sissonville.

"We've been very fortunate for the time of the explosion," Tomblin said during a news conference near the scene of the explosion. "There were no vehicles on the interstate."

The governor said the explosion could have had even more dire consequences if people had been home when the incident happened. Four homes were destroyed when the pipeline exploded about 12:40 p.m.; five homes were damaged. "They were just lucky enough not to be home," Tomblin said of residents. "I was told one gentleman had just gone rabbit hunting."

Tomblin said the explosion involved a 20-inch gas line that crossed underneath I-77. He said safety measures worked and began automatically shutting off the gas. He said at one point, flames were shooting 80 to 90 feet in the air.

About 800 feet of I-77 was damaged, the governor said. He said a contractor was coming in to make repairs, and officials hoped the road could reopen by this time Wednesday. He said workers will have to take the asphalt down to the concrete to fix the road, and the heat from the explosion even melted the guardrails.

Tomblin commended the rescue personnel who responded to the scene. "We had great cooperation from all of the first responders," he said.

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The gas pipeline that exploded in Sissonville is owned by Columbia Gas Transmission, a company spokesman said.

The spokesman said the company has brought in a team to investigate the cause of the explosion.

Columbia Gas Transmission is accommodating the needs of those affected such as providing meals, the spokesman said.

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A state highways official said he hopes that a section of Interstate 77 damaged from a huge gas explosion and fire in Sissonville can be repaired by Tuesday evening.

Brent Walker, spokesman for the state Division of Highways, said the asphalt is crumbled along 325 feet of I-77 in both directions at mile marker 113 near the Pocatalico exit.

Walker said West Virginia Paving would repair the damage, and the company hopes to have the work completed by Tuesday evening.

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Emergency officials have not discovered any fatalities or serious injuries while combing through the rubble of residences that were destroyed in a huge gas and fire explosion Tuesday afternoon in Sissonville, an official said.

Tom Miller, a public information officer for the Sissonville Fire Department, said about 60 firefighters searched every "nook and cranny" of the homes that were destroyed in the explosion, including basements and outbuildings. He said the operation was still in the "rescue mode," but the teams involved in the operation had not discovered any fatalities or serious injuries.

Miller said that Route 21 and Interstate 77 remained shut down.

Two people were transported to hospitals in Jackson County and in Charleston to be treated for apparent respiratory problems.

Miller said utilities -- water, sewer, telephone and electric -- were affected. Currently, there are more than 1,200 homes without power, AEP reported. Miller said there were 8,000 homes without power when the incident initially happened.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for updates on this developing story.

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Traffic was backed up eight miles on Interstate 77 in both directions following a huge gas explosion and fire in the Sissonville area, Tom Miller, a public information officer with the Sissonville Fire Department, said.

Metro 911 reported that that motorists from Charleston northbound were not being allowed on I-77 and were being diverted on Interstate 79. Route 21 is still shut down.

Miller said the natural gas line that exploded Tuesday afternoon was a 20-inch, high pressurized natural gas line. The company that owns the pipeline has not been determined.

Officials were still trying to determine whether there had been any fatalities or serious injuries. Several people at the park and ride near the Pocatalico exit were transported to the hospital to be treated for apparent smoke inhalation.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin was scheduled to arrive in the area at 4 p.m. to make a statement. Miller said officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Public Service Commission were at the scene, and federal authorities were en route.

Miller said Interstate and 77 and Route 21 sustained damage from the explosion.

Kanawha County school officials were making plans on getting students at Flinn Elementary, Sissonville Middle School and Sissonville High School home. The students have been sheltering in place.

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Traffic was being rerouted as the result of a huge explosion and fire in the Sissonville area, Metro 911 reported.

From Charleston northbound, motorists were not being allowed on Interstate 77 North, and they were being diverted to Interstate 79.

On Route 21 at Edens Fork, motorists were being asked to turn around.

In other developments, Aldersgate United Methodist Church has been set up as a shelter.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for updates.

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The search has begun for possible victims after a gas line explosion in the Sissonville area Tuesday, according to Kanawha County Fire Coordinator C.W. Sigman.

The explosion was reported about 1 p.m. in the 7400 block of Sissonville Drive.

Eyewitness News has learned that several people were treated for smoke inhalation. It's not clear of many people, if any, have been hurt or killed.

Keep checking wchstv.com for updates.

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Metro 911 reported that several people from the Park and Ride at the Pocatalico exit were transported to the hospital due to smoke inhalation following a huge gas explosion that rocked the Sissonville area.

A dispatcher said it was unclear if there were more injuries, but officials were anticipating there could be more.

The dispatcher said at least four homes were still on fire, and he said there could be more residences affected.

Several roads were affected by the explosion. Route 21/Sissonville Drive was closed and open only for emergency vehicle use. Traffic was being diverted at the Interstate 77-79 split and being routed onto I-79, the dispatcher said. Metro said north of Pocatalico the south side of I-77 was shut down.

Kanawha County Schools was reporting that Flynn Elementary, Sissonville Elementary, Sissonville Middle School and Sissonville High School were sheltering in place. Students would be transported home once the roads reopen, and the situation is declared safe.

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Metro 911 said a gas well exploded in Sissonville Tuesday afternoon and four structures were apparently on fire.

A dispatcher said the fire apparently occurred in the 7000 block of Sissonville Drive. It happened about 1 p.m.

The Kanawha County school system office reported that a shelter in place had been ordered at Sissonville Middle School and Sissonville Elementary School. A shelter in place also has been ordered at Cedar Ridge Nursing Home. Sissonville High School has been set up an area where people being evacuated can stay. The Pocatalico exit was apparently closed.

Flynn Elementary was not affected.

Eyewitness News Reporter Brandon Stover was in the Sissonville area, and he said the sound of the roar of the fire could clearly be heard. Flames and billowing smoke from the raging fire could be observed from a far distance away.

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Emergency crews were responding to multiple structure fires in one area of Kanawha County Tuesday after an apparent explosion.

It happened about 1 p.m. along Teresa Lane in Sissonville. Dispatchers said that several structures are on fire; one of them is reportedly connected to a nursing home. No word on injuries.

Metro 911 said it was an apparent natural gas explosion, and the area was being evacuated. The area was along a gas line. The Pocatalico exit has been closed.

Keep checking wchstv.com for updates.

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