A gas pipeline exploded at 1:40 a.m. Thursday, killing one person and severely injuring five others.
The explosion near Junction City and Hustonville, Kentucky, shot flames 300 feet in the air as it destroyed nearby railroad tracks, set six buildings on fire and damaged a community of mobile homes. Residents have since evacuated.
Authorities say seven people are still unaccounted for.
One nearby resident, Jodie Coulter, says she was burned before she could reach safety.
“It was hot,” she says. “Look at the siding, and you could see it melting. I had to get away from there as fast as I possibly could.”
WLKY News tweeted a video of the raging fire:
Officials say 5-7 people are still unaccounted for after a deadly gas explosion in central Kentucky. https://t.co/qc0vvKxYMB pic.twitter.com/G42QWcmKXI
— WLKY (@WLKY) August 1, 2019
Officials are still investigating the cause of the blast.
