Justice: No health, safety concerns for other parts of West Virginia following Charleston gas outage

“From what I understand, this is really just to the West Side of Charleston, but we’ll continue to follow up,” he said. “I do not think there is a health concern or safety concern throughout other areas of our state.”

The governor declared a state of emergency in Kanawha County on Wednesday evening and activated the West Virginia National Guard to assist with the response.

A water main “blew apart in every way,” causing extensive damage to adjacent natural gas lines owned by Mountaineer Gas, Justice said.

“We had water in the gas all over the place — for 46 miles of gas line,” he said.

The state Public Service Commission will launch an investigation into the incident, the governor said.

Maj. Gen. William Crane, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, said Guard members have been helping distribute needed resources.

“We’ve already made some deliveries of heaters over to the West Side and also some water,” he said.

“The No. 1 priority is to make sure we’re taking care of the citizens of West Virginia and the citizens of the West Side as this disaster continues. We want to make sure we’re there and providing what is needed within that community,” Crane said.

Kanawha County Superintendent of Schools Tom Williams said multi-day meal boxes containing breakfast, lunch and dinner will be distributed Friday at Mary C. Snow Elementary on the West Side.

“Then on Tuesday, we’ll be handing out a seven-day meal box that will again include breakfast, lunch and dinner, milk as well, for Tuesday through Sunday,” he said. “That will be done from 11 to 12:30 on Tuesday.”