By The Laurel Independent staff
Updated 11am May 10
A Laurel Main Street Festival vendor’s propane tank exploded during set-up early today, causing organizers to cancel the annual Main Street Festival parade and delay opening the festival to 11 a.m.
“It was like Hollywood,” said Kevin Craven, of WV3D Laurel Amateur Radio Club, who witnessed the explosion at Fourth and Main, near PNC Bank. “There was a ball of fire and one or two explosions afterward.”
Jayson Green, and his daughter Ashley France-Howell, were setting up their vendor booth for their crochet business Hook N Chains next to the fire.
“My daughter saw the [propane hookup] hose flapping,” Green said, “and smoke coming out.[The booth] was engulfed in smoke and the first explosion happened. The vendor was in back and he crawled out.”
“It was scary,” Green said. “God was looking out for us this morning.”
The vendor was transported to a local burn center with minor burns, according to City Council President Kyla Clark, of Ward 2. Laurel Police said those were the only injuries. The explosion was heard blocks away, as parade participants began to gather on Sixth Street.
Ward 1 Councilman James Kole said power was knocked out at the nearby buildings.
This story will be updated.
