The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

November 24, 2009

5 explosion victims in critical condition

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Five of the six victims of a house explosion in Greenbrier County were in critical condition and on life support Tuesday, and authorities say they are still working to determine the cause of the blast.

The explosion leveled the house Monday morning on Crosier Road in McRoss, an unincorporated area between Charmco and Rainelle. Two of the six people inside were thrown from the rubble by the force of the blast. The five most seriously injured people sustained burns and, in one case, severe head trauma.

Sheriff Jim Childers said Tuesday the house sustained three back-to-back-to-back explosions, then a fire. Firefighters described the blaze as “very heavy.”

Childers said Terry Patterson Jr., Tara Patterson, Tiffeny Williams and Kelly Wickline were in critical condition and on life support at University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville. Tacy Patterson was in critical condition and on life support at Charleston Area Medical Center.

Terry Patterson Sr., the house’s owner, was treated at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in Fairlea and released, Childers said.

Childers said the victims were between 18 and 54 years old and all were from the Rupert and Rainelle areas.

Tacy Patterson is Terry Patterson Sr.’s wife and Tara Patterson is his daughter. Williams and Wickline were visitors at the home, according to Childers.

Authorities were still working to determine the cause of the explosion, Childers said. State fire marshals will return today and all investigators will continue sifting through debris. They also hope to interview people who may have more information.

“All options are on the table,” Childers said. “Whatever it is, it caused one heck of an explosion.”

Childers said no emergency responders were injured, although one sheriff’s deputy and two or three emergency medical service workers went through decontamination as a safety precaution.

The blast also caused minor damage to a neighboring home’s screen door.

— E-mail: apridemore@

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