Gas station explosion kills 4 in W.Va. 8 minutes ago

GHENT, W.Va. - An explosion leveled a gas station near a ski resort this morning, killing at least four people and seriously injuring at least nine others, authorities said.

A firefighter and a paramedic were among the injured at the Flat Top Lake Front Grocery on Route 19, said Kim O'Brien, spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal's office, who provided the casualty figures.

Authorities suspect that a propane tank exploded at about 10:45 a.m., just as a fire truck was pulling into the station in response to a report of a leak.

All that's left of the building is a pile of debris, twisted metal framework and a sign showing the price of gasoline starting at $2.19 a gallon.

The blast was felt at least a mile away at a store selling skiing gear.

"I thought we got struck by lightning. The whole building shook. The power went off," said Ben Monast, manager of the Ski Shop.

Keli Akers said she was driving to her house about a mile from the gas station when she began to smell propane.

When she got to her house she said she "looked into the sky and saw blue mechanic napkins and hot dog holders falling from the sky into my yard."

Akers said her mother was home at the time of the explosion and told her "she felt a huge jolt and the whole house shook."

Once she learned what had happened, she tried to drive to the scene to look for vehicles belonging to people she knew who worked at the store, but could get no further than Ghent Elementary, which also suffered damage from the explosion.

"I know people there," she said, "but it's not just the people who work there. Everyone goes there. Anyone could have been there."

Ouch this sux.....my thoughts and prayers go out to the family members most affected by this tragedy