Investigators Blame Concrete Collapse for Downtown Fire
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Investigators Blame Concrete Collapse for Downtown Fire
A fire that destroyed a historic section of downtown Anthony was likely caused by a hole in the gas line, fire investigators said.
Reporter: KAKE News
Email Address: news@kake.com
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Posted by: Q on Jul 22, 2009 at 12:58 AM

just what anthony needed another parking lot lol
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 16, 2009 at 01:53 PM

And what a great bubble it is.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 15, 2009 at 06:58 PM

You people cant deal with facts. Look it up, from 2000 to 2004 the pop. decreased by 5%. The majority of the population is 65 and older. These are facts, the town is technically dying. Its drying up. Another fact.. Population in July 2007: 2,203. Population change since 2000: -8.9%. So with these trends and the age of your citizens, we can conclude the town IS dying. Im sorry if "its not nice" but it is TRUE. You people live in a bubble. Ohh ya, have fun at the Anthony Downs next year. Maybe after the races we can all go watch a movie at the drive in...
Posted by: Enough now! Location: Harper County on Jul 15, 2009 at 11:10 AM

MH, aka Devil's Spawn, lay off Rosalea and The Balmer Fund. Get a life and quit harassing someone trying to do good for the woralso Harper) due to hatred like yours. Such a low life to attack a person who tries to help us. She has a right to feel the pain unreasonable people continue to inflict. I know who you are. So stop now. I am not amused by you.
Posted by: cliff Location: wichita on Jul 15, 2009 at 10:52 AM

anonomous, if you read the story, in the fourth paragraph, it states that the gas company had been called about a gas leak.
Posted by: anonymous Location: Anthony on Jul 14, 2009 at 07:38 PM

IF your parents smelled gas for the last twenty years in that alley...they should have been calling the gas company EVERY DAY for the LAST TWENTY YEARS! Thank GOD Jason wasn't hurt worse and wish him a speedy recovery! Hope the businesses find a way to deal with this and possibly rebuild.God Bless all the firemen from all the towns who risked it all to help put this fire out and to all the emt,cert people who were in the heat as well and took great care of everyone. Thanks also to the people,and businesses that donated food, water, gatorade,etc. But ESPECIALLY all the support everyone has shown as a community.
Posted by: Rosalea Location: Harper on Jul 14, 2009 at 07:32 PM

Thanks to all of the Anonymous folks for your unfriendly comments directed towards me. So what else is new? Brilliant mind? Since when? Have no fear, the Liar's Pavilion in Harper is only for "liars I have known" and since you don't have the courage to identify yourselves,you may be safe from historical documentation in our university archives. (No,names are not written on the dolls) It's fine to use me as your whipping post for rage--I am strong. Rage on, rage on!!! Get the toxins out of your sad souls! Our nonprofit lost our business in Anthony, our dreams, our hopes to help a small town grow, and thousands of dollars. We didn't see you step forward to help repair YOUR rare historic building so please keep quiet and grow up. And if you are lucky, next time they will falsely arrest you when you are 68 years old and send you to jail for nothing, only to harass you. Then everyone can attack and tell you what to do, and how much they hate you. Such an outpouring of love & kindness
Posted by: C Location: Anthony on Jul 14, 2009 at 09:18 AM

I agree with anonymous, I too think that this is crap, Atmos Energy are very much to blame for this incident. Not only 1 week previous to this explosion they were called to that exact spot to check a "gas leak" that someone had called about saying it smelt strong back there. And you mean to tell me out of nowhere the very next week BOOM the town is ruined and people are hurt? The City is also to blame, what the hell does the City do around here? It truly seems to me like all they do it sit around on their asses doing nothing but things they are forced to do. After storms the City leaves this town looking like crap, tree limbs everywhere and I am really getting sick of it. Do something about your town and get to work WE pay you enough! As for this fire, I have been living here for roughly 5 yrs and I love it here. I am raising my new daughter here for as long as I can and I hope that it stays as safe as it always has been. To Jason and Wyatt's I will continue praying for you all.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 14, 2009 at 01:21 AM

Regarding the above news brief saying that they have ruled out that the gas leak existed before the explosion....that is total BS. My parents both say they have smelt gas in that alley for almost 20 years. And also, if the falling cement caused the line to leak, why would it have exploded and blown Jason in the air and down into the hole? Plus the damage it did to the trash truck itself, it was a BIG explosion. That big of a bang doesn't just happen by sparking a gas leak. I think that the gas had been building up there for YEARS and started seeping out the cracks in the alley. And when the trash truck drove over it that day, the heat of the exhaust or something on the truck ignited it and boom. I think the gas company is doing anything they can to save themselves from taking the blame.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 14, 2009 at 01:13 AM

Jason Stitt is the best man I know.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 12, 2009 at 06:24 AM

Jaclyn: I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to come across that way. What I mean was back then we didn't have to lock our doors at night. We could sleep with the windows open and not worry. That way of life started ending in the late 70s so I didn't think that anyone who wasn't born in the mid to late 60s, or earlier, would know what that was like. But now the world (seems like it) is filled with stupid people who have taken that peace of mind away from us. I didn't mean for it to look like I was saying that everyone under 40 is stupid. I know better than that. They've been learning things that my generation never thought of or only dreamed of.
Posted by: Jim Location: Anthony Ks on Jul 11, 2009 at 11:24 PM

No one seems willing to take responsibility for this hoeeible accident. One wonders how many times(without incident) this truck has picked up trash in this very spot without incident. it takes some time for that big a hole to occur.I know side walks can somtimes build up water and cause holes under them, with no one knowing until it collapses.But this hole could be the result of an explosion as well. Two things come to mind, the city needs to check the alleys behind business for problems, and the gas company should make regular inspections of lines located on these areas of heavy city equipment usage. Some one needs to set up a fund for the medical bills if no one wants to take responsibility. The trash service we have here is private and contracted out by the city.I have had a home for 10 years here and the gas line leading to my house has never been checked for leaks or problems.
Posted by: Jaclyn Location: Anthony on Jul 11, 2009 at 09:58 PM

I am away from home visitng my family in Tenessee and my heart is breaking to know that my neighbors in Anthony are dealing with this sad event. I chose to move to Anthony almost two years ago after finding my dream home in what I considered to be a lovely, quaint town. I understand that some people might prefer a larger city, but that doesn't make Anthony "ugly". Please act like you were taught manners instead of being raised by wolves and don't kick a city when it's down. Why would you want to further hurt people already hurting? Grow up, shut down the laptop and get a life! BTW, while I agree with anonymous that Anthony is a beautiful example of a time long gone by, please don't shelve people under 40 in with this stupid behaviour...I moved to Anthony just before my 28 b-day and I treasure my 100 y.o. house as well as the lovely town it's in.
Posted by: Sherri Location: Texas on Jul 11, 2009 at 08:43 PM

My prayers and well wishes go out to all the business owners. My parents live in Harper. Every time I visit I go into Anthony. I loved the shops downtown. I loved walking down that street! There arent very many downtowns like that any more. Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves for the things that you have posted!!! Be a good American and take pride in the city, state, and country that you live in. If it was so bad...what were YOU doing to make it better???? It was a charming area and will never be the same.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 11, 2009 at 05:14 PM

The town isn't "ugly", it's called "rustic". It reminds us of a time when life was better and safer. Some might think it's ugly but that's only because they've grown up in a world filled with electronic glamor and bedazzlement. I wouldn't expect anyone under 40 to understand because I'm talking about the time before the world got filled up with stupid people.
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