GHENT, W.Va. — Monday marks the 10th anniversary of the Little General convenience store explosion in Raleigh County that killed four people and injured five others.
The morning of Jan. 30, 2007 began like many others in the Ghent/Flat Top area. It was mostly business as usual at the Little General but a problem had developed with a propane tank there. The fire department was called in to help. A short time later something sparked the massive explosion.
An investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board later determined the blast was caused by the leaking tank. Four people died that day include Fred Burroughs, Craig Dorsey, Glenn Ray Bennett and Jeff Treadway. A fifth victim, Donnie Caldwell, died three years after the blast from injuries suffered that day.
A memorial to be built on the property honoring the victims will be under construction soon, Hazel Burroughs, widow of Fred Burroughs, told MetroNews recently.
“We hope to be starting in early in the spring as we can and our deadline for having it completed is Memorial Day,” she said. “We’d like to do the dedication that weekend sometime.”
The memorial will be a 30 x 40 foot slab with four concrete pillars bearing bronze markers paying tribute to four people killed. The story of the site will be etched into a marble stone and a flagpole will be part of the memorial. Donations will pay for most of the work.