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KHSB-TV via Reuters
Firefighters working at the scene of a fire triggered by a natural gas explosion in Kansas City on Tuesday night.
At least 14 people were injured and two others were missing after a fire triggered by a natural gas explosion Tuesday in an upscale business and shopping district of Kansas City, Mo., authorities said.
Kansas City police said the blast occurred about 6 p.m. (7 p.m. ET) outside JJ's Restaurant in Country Club Plaza. Enormous flames tore into the night sky outside the restaurant, which was at the center of the fire and was destroyed, NBC station KSHB reported.
Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi told a news conference that the cause of the explosion was under investigation but said foul play was not suspected.
Early Wednesday, KSHB quoted Berardi as saying that a man and a woman were missing.
"We are concerned that there may be additional people that were not able to get out of the structure," Berardi told reporters. "I always fear there may be fatalities in a situation like this."
A statement released by the Missouri Gas Energy company said early indications are that a contractor doing underground work struck a natural gas line, but the investigation continues.
At the news conference, Berardi said MGE had turned off the gas at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET) and there was no danger of another explosion occurring in the area. The chief acknowledged the department had received earlier reports of gas odor in the area.
Authorities had told NBC News earlier in the evening that the explosion occurred when a car struck a gas main.
"Get out! You are not safe right here! Please!" rescue crews could be heard urging people who were trying to get a look at the scene in the blast's aftermath.
"Fire is mostly under control," Kansas City Mayor Sly James said on Twitter at about 8 p.m. ET, but numerous crews remained on the scene nearly an hour later as flames spewing thick, black smoke continued to burn.
Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Chief Paul Berardi and Mayor Sly James hold a news conference to update the media on the explosion and fire that burned down a landmark restaurant. Video courtesy KSHB-TV.
According to The Associated Press, City Manager Troy Schulte said he had not heard of any fatalities and was not aware of anyone being reported missing. After 10:30 p.m. ET, authorities began searching the scene with cadaver dogs.
At least 11 ambulances responded, fire officials said. A physician at Saint Luke's Hospital said in a brief news conference the hospital had received five patients, including two patients in critical condition -- one with severe burns and another with deep lacerations.
University of Kansas Hospital had received six injured people, including two in serious condition and one critical. Two patients drove themselves in with minor injuries.
Two patients arrived at the Research Medical Center, and another at the Truman Medical Center.
Witnesses told KSHB that they smelled natural gas in the area of the restaurant at least an hour before the explosion.
The blast occurred during the dinner hour at JJ's Restaurant, a Kansas City institution dating to 1985. JJ's is widely regarded as one of the best dinner spots in the Midwest, earning a 93 rating from Zagat's, and its wine cellar has been listed by The Wine Spectator as one of the finest in the world.
Carlo Dellaverson, Sossy Dombourian, Gina Gentilesco and Zoya Khan of NBC News contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:51 PM EST
Leave a Comment:
That is the Country Club Plaza not century club plaza mr editor!
No matter where it is located this is horrific.I cannot even imagine having this happen to me or anybody who is enjoying an evening out on the town.My prayers and good wishes for everybody involved,injured or not.
More destruction due to fire... I think it's about time Owebama outlaws matches. After all, we have to do something - we can figure out if it's the right thing or not after we act. It's always a good idea to jump before looking.
I just hope they don't find anyone in the rubble. I hope the injured recover quickly and fully. This sucks, JJ's was a real nice place. I spent many a pleasant evening there with my wife. It was across Roanoke from the west end construction project. And a back hoe hit the gas main while working in the final stages of completing the project. This is terrible. It survived all the business interference from the project and now this. JJ's had a wine collection and list that ranked 50 in the world. It was a great place. I hope he will rebuild, but the building was 100 years old and is gone, so who knows. K.C. lost a real jewel in JJ's.
If the gas line was hit by a car how did someone smell gas an hour before the explosion? Is that why so many people got hurt, they where standing around sniffing gas?
It is another totally baseless addition by the news media to fill dead air with nonsense. Gas mains are buried at a minimum of 3 feet below grade. There was a back hoe on the site with the flames coming up from the hole in front of it. It does not take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what happened.
If this was a terrorist incident, there will be a later blast to take out the rescuers & EMT personnel...
Opps sorry that is the CURRENT - Obama/CIA policy on using armed drones...
Oh wait this is in the USA. Just another infrastructure failure, nothing to do with terrorism, because Obama is in charge...
AC are you stupid? Don't you know there is no such thing as terrorism, but rather man-made catastrophes? lol Can't make this stuff up... Thanks libs!
Why come here and post the stupidest @!$%# you could possibly type? Does it give you some vicarious thrill acting the fool? I see your posts and see a sad and lonely person desperate for whatever attention his asinine comments might garner. Trust me when I say we are not laughing, and we are not amused.
Construction crews are supposed to call before they dig so this does not happen.Sometimes the utility locator flags the wrong spot and when an accident happens they will point the finger at the construction company.This was an accident and a horrible one.
@Chris - I will ignore the personal attack and address the substance of your message.
Yes, I do sometimes intentionally post the most outrageous things I can think of... only to show how absolutely stupid the spin machines of the current administration are when they are taken to their logical Nth degree.
'Realist17', if that is in fact your intent, then you are failing in that pursuit.
All you are really accomplishing is making a complete, utter fool of yourself. I wonder if you would post one word of your repetitive nonsense if you had to do it under your real name, first and last, instead of spouting juvenile nonsense with the cloak of anonymity like an adolescent making prank telephone calls?
We all have a very good built-in "moral compass" we can choose to consult in deciding if something we write should be published to a public forum. ask yourself "Would I commit this comment to perpetual view, forever, under my own name, as representative of who I am?
If you can't answer "yes" to that question, without hesitation, then you should probably just keep your own counsel and find a more productive means of contributing to finding solutions, rather than just adding to the problems.
You are free to ignore my so-called personal attack, but we choose not to ignore yours.
And Robert, I've always felt that if in order to post, people were required to include their name, address, and telephone number, we'd have much fewer idiot people posting. Don't you agree? :)
I think AC isn't so dense as to not see the joking sarcasm in my question, in the context of the rest of my post, that you were evidently not able to pick up on.
Call before you dig.... DIG-RITE. That commercial runs on TV every day. Call BEFORE you dig.
@Chris from Yucaipa
I do indeed, my friend. A lot fewer idiots, posting, ... and a lot more telephone numbers we could call in the event of an emergency pickup game of hoops!
;-)
Realist17,
Just pointing out the FACTS...
The UN and several other World Organizations are investigating placing Charges against Obama & his CIA's use of 'Armed drones'...
On 24 Jan 2013 - British lawyer Ben Emmerson, the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, told a London press conference that he would launch an inquiry into the civilian impact and human rights implications of targeted killings, with a report due next fall...
In a Jan. 29 interview with wired.com's Spencer Ackerman, Emmerson said he would focus on 25 specific situations in the Middle East and south Asia, most involving drone attacks. Noting that countries are obligated under international law to conduct "independent and impartial" investigations of drone attacks involving civilian deaths, he said the UN may have to investigate individual strikes if nations fail to do so...
Ben Emmerson, told an audience at Harvard law school Oct 2012, that a sub-section of the international organization will begin focusing next year on the Obama administration’s extrajudicial killings of suspected insurgents and the innocent civilians all too often executed in the process...
Emmerson said it’s believed that, “since President Obama took office, at least 50 civilians were killed in follow-up strikes when they had gone to help victims and more than 20 civilians have also been attacked in deliberate strikes on funerals and mourners.”His colleague Heyns, Emmerson said, considered these strikes “war crimes,” an opinion he would also endorse...
When Britain’s Bureau of Investigative Journalism conducted an analysis of US drone strikes during 2011, they determined that they have killed nearly 400 civilians in Pakistan alone. Last month a study out of Stanford and New York University said, “US targeted killings and drone strike practices undermine respect for the rule of law and international legal protections and may set dangerous precedents,” and the CIA has since been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for failing to be forthright about the use of drones in aerial assaults...
References - peoplesworld.org/un-to-investigate-u-s-drone-strikes/ & rt.com/usa/news/us-drone-emmerson-un-256/
It looks like Obama will join George Bush, in the list of POTUS that can not travel in the EU and other Countries...
Jesus Christ, can you just lay off the Obama crap? At least when Bush was accused of something, there was something to accuse him of. When a story comes up about the new storm in the west, how many of you are going to accuse Obama of causing it? Don't you nut cases ever get tired of looking like the idiots we all know you are?
Call before you dig is only for the utility companies that are affiliated with it. Not all utility companies are which could be the case here.
How can a car hit a gas main that is underground? Sounds like a story the contractor made up to cover his ass.
For the people who blame everything on Obama, WTF is your point?!
We know a sore loser when we see them. Get over it so you guys don't look so ridiculous.
It's really getting old man.
@Realist17
Spin machine? Kind of like all the conservative fear mongering propaganda? Both sides spin everything. Anyone who can't see that should just not speak.
At any rate, bad incident. Although a car couldn't have hit an actual main. Could have taken out a meter though. Or if the contractor was digging they either didn't follow guidelines in calling in to have the line marked or the line was incorrectly marked by the utility.
But yes, stop trying to inflict ridiculous political crap into every single article. I'm sure FoxNews will willingly accept you if that's what you're into.
In Illinois we have JULIE, which is the joint utility locating service. Call before you dig is also their message and that goes for everyone, including the guy digging around in his backyard.
Yes, because you all sound SO intelligent when you blame everything on Bush, over four years later. At least Obama is the current POTUS (what were you hypocrites saying while Bush was president?). Fact is the Obama's liberal agenda is failing our nation, and you can't come to grips with that.
better hurry and ban matches and lighters before they cause more tragedies.. what else will the libtards point the finger at? maybe it's Bush's fault?
Hummmmmm .... Thats why the word "accident" is in the English language!
Does anyone believe a rational human earning a living operating a backhoe, is going to intentionally dig and break a gas main to cause a massive explosion; killing himself & others on purpose?
Either the act is a "accident" or if done intentionally .... it is a act of "terrorism" ...
I'll give odds that it was a accident ...
im not defending obama but what does obama have anything to do with it quit pointing fingers and blaming and if you don't have anything intellectual to post then shut it up cause none of us care! (end rant)
To be honest we said he was an idiot then, and that belief has held strong for over 4 years since he left office. You are sadly misinformed if you think Bush didn't hand a huge bag of @!$%# over for Obama to sort out when he took office. 2 wars in progress, an economy in flames, Clinton's surplus GONE, deficit going up, unemployment skyrocketing, housing market dead under a bus, etc etc. If I believed in anything other than the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I'd say that the current recovery that is under way is nothing short of a miracle. I guess you believe that Bush should have handed over his magic wand to Obama, so he could wave it around his first day in office and fix things right up.
Sorry but the only people who don't think things are improving are the people who do not want to believe it. Those are the people I have no time for, so if you're one of them, don't bother replying. I've talked to enough brick walls in my 40 years.
@Bluelake
In Oregon, if you call JULIE, you'll just end up with a $4.99 per minute charge to your credit card. And what makes that even worse is I suspect that JULIE is a actually a dude!
:-(
One really has to wonder how some in our midst can become so delusional that they are able to twist and contort even a news story about an accidental gas explosion and fire in Kansas City... and make the discussion about President Obama?
That rises well above the normal definition of "unhealthy fixation", but rather flirts with the definition of "emotionally disturbed".
Robert in Oregon,
At first NBC News reported a 'car had hit a gas main', not a CONSTRUCTION Accident...
"emotionally disturbed" are the people that 'BLINDLY FOLLOW' a POTUS that has consistently VIOLATED - Presidential EOs, the US Constitution, and numerous International Laws. Enacted LAWS that enable the CIA to ASSASSINATE anyone without due process & the US Military to detain a US Citizen, without charges for an unlimited time...
Ever read the US Constitution???
@AC Robertson-2414093
Response: AC Robertson, go put on your tin-foil helmet and suck a lemon (...I mean, suck another lemon).
....Ever not been an a**hole???
Robert in Oregon,
You either support the US Constitution or you DO NOT...
I spent 26+years risking my life to support it. There are NO 'Grey Areas' and when we VIOLATED this Document or the Laws made from it's interpretation. WE were held ACCOUNTABLE...
BTY - I have ALWAYS been an A$$hole with those that do not support it...
IMO - The INTENTIONAL targeting of 'first responders' is not only against numerous Existing LAWS, but the people that support/do this are much worse that any TERRORIST. They should be held ACCOUNTABLE...
I'm not the only person that is of this oppinion...
Under President Obama, the US has expanded its use of drones to kill hundreds of al-Qaeda suspects in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. It says it is acting in self-defence in accordance with international law.
Critics argue the drone strikes amount to execution without trial and cause many civilian casualties.
Like the person said it's The Country Club Plaza, please fix this.
The Country Club Plaza is not downtown. Please revise.
IDIOTS !!!
Some people have to always come on and check your spelling or correct this or that . COME ON IS YOUR LIFE THAT BOREING !!!!! People where hurt keep your comments to that .and don't try and sell me something. Sorry guess I'm not much better .Hope everyone pulls through OK..
"Boring" tee hee
I wish the guy that buys everything from online auctions would blow up and catch fire...
LeRoy Galster: Some people have to always come on and check your spelling or correct this or that .
If the story is worth reporting, its worth reporting the proper facts. Just another example of a half cocked reporter doing a half cocked job. Are you as lenient with a mechanic that gets your car running, but doesn't completely fix it? A plumber that stopped the gushing water leak under your sink, but left a seaping joint that produces a drip every hour?
Who's the one with no life? The one pointing out incomplete work, or the one complaining about somebody reasonably expecting a level of professionalism and accuracy in a story?
A large majority of reporters these days have become hacks that aren't held to a level of respectable journalism. Whether its this story that could've EASILY been corrected with a 30 second google search, or some story that is reported with misleading information to make a possibly innocent individual look guilty....
... and as far as NBC goes, this one is relatively benign. At least they didn't deliberately falsify the facts, as they have done time and time again with other stories.
USApeb, it might not be the reporter you so maligned. When I was one I had the delight of writing a story that an incompetent editor changed and introduced a few errors. People make mistakes, especially nowadays with the constant sprint to get the story online fast. They usually get fixed in due time.
Unfortunately, being the first to break news trumps spelling/editing/grammar every day of the week.
Quality is sacrificed for CLICKS!
MSNBC has never been known for their "quality news reporting." I think this is truly the best they can do. I live in KC and this sucks.
Feel to link us some of these false stories of yours. Or all you just all mouth?
SHAME ON SOME OF YOU AND YOUR LAME COMMENTS! Who cares about spelling and grammar and politics right now? I live a mile from this gas explosion and my ONLY concerns are for the wounded, the missing and their families and loved ones. We are talking about fellow human beings here! Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Nieces, Grandparents, Friends....What has happened to most of mankind and human decency?" We are drowning in "information" and starving for knowledge." More like starving for a kind heart.
Ok Chris, here are just a few:
1) The 911 tape from when Zimmerman was chasing Trayvon Martin... and the 911 operator asked him what race Martin was... and Zimmerman answered the question with "he looks black". Of course, NBC altered the tape to make it sound like Zimmerman volunteered the information without provocation in order to make him appear racist. http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/022046.html
2) NBC doctored the tape of the congressional hearing in the wake of the Newtown tragedy in order to make those against gun control appear like they were heckling a grieving father. http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/276077-nbc-lied-about-newtown-father-being-heckled-4.html
3) Just yesterday, NBC edited Paul Ryan's remarks to make it sound like he was against the immigration bill simply because Obama's name was on it (in order to support their political agenda that Ryan is unreasonable), instead of playing the full clip in which he explained his substantive reasons for being against the bill. http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/02/18/MSNBC-Host-Are-Republicans-Against-Obamas-Immigration-Plan-Just-Because-His-Name-Is-On-It
4) And let's not forget Wawagate, where NBC decided to doctored a Romney speech in order to make him look like he wan't aware that you could use an automated machine to order food at Wawa.... in order to disingenuously advance NBC's political agenda to see Obama re-elected. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/06/18/some-never-learn-msnbc-caught-selectively-editing-romney-video-to-make-him-seem-out-of-touch/
Are those enough examples for you? And NBC tries to hold themself out as a news network... Is it a coincidence that NBC was tied with the COMEDY CHANNEL in last place for votes as the most trusted news network in the most recent poll?
@Realist17
#1 The guy who did that was fired, and the issue was made public the very next day along with the apology.
#2 Sorry but find a better source than someone quoting a Hannity clip.
#3 Same as #2. Trying to use a severely biased source to prove bias on something else, is idiotic. And if you don't think Breitbart isn't biased, then you obviously haven't been following along since his time at Drudge Report.
Oh and is that poll you cite the same one that say Fox News is the most trusted? If so, don't bother replying, I'll be too busy laughing at you.
Chris, you asked for proof of instances where NBC falsified news stories, and I just gave you four of them IN JUST THE LAST YEAR ALONE. These sources are not offering their opinion, they are offering facts that happened. So the fact that NBC was called out by organizations that you don't like doesn't change the fact that it happened.
Get your head out of the sand. Until people come to grips with the fact that so-called news newtorks are sacrificing journalistic integrity to act as shills for a political party/agenda, our country will continue to be increasingly divided and uninformed. You sadly are showing yourself to be the poster child of this problem.
Yeah i don't buy into any poll where the same news get the most votes for both most trusted and least trusted, lol.
USApeb, by reporters writing stories without all the facts, like Fox News calling the election for Romney? Is that what you're talking about?
Realist, That last comment came from a Fox viewer? how rich is that
My post has nothing to do with Fox. It has to do with NBC. If you want to criticize Fox, that's fine... The difference is that O'Reilly and Hannity don't hold themselves out as hard news people, but rather news commentators. Go show me where Shepard Smith altered tapes to create news. I just gave you four examples of NBC doing so in the last year alone.
But as the typical liberal. you are trying to use misdirection. My post was about NBC, and you try to make it about Fox. If you want to have a discussion about Fox, that's fine. But are you really that unable to acknowledge the plain facts that fact that NBC, which holds itself out as a hard news network, alters facts in order to create news that doesn't exist?
Fox never called the election for Romney. Fox PREDICTED, in advance of the election, that Romney would win, and they were wrong with their prediction. Your statement would only be on-par with what NBC does if Fox doctored the election results, and THEN used the doctored election results to call the election for Romney.
I'd have no problem with Fox if they didn't label all their programming "America's News Headquarters" or some nonsense like that. It's amazing how many people watch that and have no clue that it's extremely biased and to call half of their programming news is a joke. Call it the Fox Conservative channel and you're fine. News, not so much.
Hard to get any real news anymore.
Zorloc: I'm not arguing with your position regarding Fox, but what's your opinion on NBC?
It's hilarious how, after being challenged, I provided four concrete examples of NBC literally DOCTORING tapes in the last year alone, order to create a news narrative that satisfies their anti-conservative agenda. And then, instead of coming to grips with that fact, all people on here can do is talk about Fox.
Realist17
don't need to doctor tapes from the far right...not happy with the far left either, but before you defend Ryan and Romney, read Ryan's path to prosperity that the tea party loves, cut govt. hit the middle class, and working poor with tax increases, make seniors pay more for medicare/benefits..etc..all the while giving tax breaks for the so call job creators, and increase the military budget, that most of the brass does not want. Not to mention it will actually increase the debt more than Obama has
Frank, yet again I post concrete facts of NBC doctoring tapes, and what I get in return is "what about FNC?" and "What about Romney and Ryan?"
Who said I was defending Romney or Ryan? All I did was point out examples of NBC's lack of journalistic integrity, and I have yet to hear a single lib come to grips with the fact that NBC doctors the facts, and can't be trusted as a news source.
No Realist, all you did was post links to extremely biased conservative sites who make a science out of only telling one side of a story. Not to mention, with the exception of your Trayvon Martin example, those same conservative sites are the ONLY ones making that claim. As for the doctoring of the Zimmerman tape, NBC readily admitted within 24 hours of it airing that one of their editors did it, and then later fired the guy. I sure as @!$%# have never seen Hannity, Limbough, Breitbart, or any of the other conservative sources of information so readily admit to @!$%#ing up.
So do us a favor and provide a NEUTRAL source of information for your claims. Otherwise you're just another Conservative mouthpiece looking for something to complain about.
The conservative sites are the only ones making the claim regarding Trayvon? Chris, get a grip on reality. Every single one of those four falsifications by NBC can be easily googled. There are countless links to teh story, and the NBC "newscasts" with the doctored tapes can be easily youtubed. You can compare for yourself the edited NBC tape vs the real tape.
Each of those four items happend. Fact. Period. That you personally don't like those who exposed NBC isn't my issue. Your argument would be akin to a conservative website saying that 1+1=2 (hope that isn't too advanced for you), and you are criticizing the math because it came from a conservative website. It doesn't matter who says 1+1=2... it still equals 2.
It's not my problem that the liberal websites are afraid to criticize their own people. It's your problem for failing to recognize, despite all facts, that you are just another sheep who is being duped.
I give up, taking to you is like trying to explain something to a deaf retarded kid. You have a one track mind that derailed a long time ago.
What exatly is your point... that these are all fabrications and NBC didn't edit the tapes after all? Any monkey who spent 3 seconds on google researching the stories could confirm that they did. So what's your point? Or do you not have a point, like most libtards?
(p.s. what kind of libtard are you, using the word "retarded?" Reminds me of when King Obama mentioned that his bowling abilities were so bad that he belonged on the Special Olympics).
Realist17,
dont you understand oh wait your a deaf retarded kid.
understand this when someone stops a pointless argument it does NOT mean to continue
... and yet, here you are continuing it. Does that make you deaf and retarded as well?
Just because an idiot brands a dialogue pointless, doesn't mean that I agree. I honestly amused by the hypnotic sheep who can't even admit to what NBC did. What I quite honestly expected was for the libs to say something like "yeah, NBC is biased... but then again so is FNC so it all balances out." And then we could have had a meaningful dialogue. But instead, sheep like Chris (and evidently you) deny that NBC habitually doctores tapes, despite all evidence to the contrary.... which calls you out as the brainless political tards that you evidently are.
One of the biggest problems facing our nation is the flow of information, and the news media is entirely to blame. So when a so-called news network like NBC doctors tapes to fabricate news stories, and the sheep (be it conservatives or liberals) buy into the narrative, our country has a big problem.
There is nothing pointless about this, because if you and Chris are too dense to see it (or choose not to look), then there are hopefully others who are less willing to suspend disbelief.
wow for the first remark i made to you and you getting so defensive LMAO! you are simply continuing it so stfu and get over yourself bye
Ah, guess ya'll can't read! As it states Country Club Plaza! It's also close enough to the downtown area and not out of K.C. proper.....
Boy ol boy what a group????? When you become PERFECT then you can critisize others! That's the problem with living here, everyone think's they are perfect! Perfect place for the gun violence! Police cars everywhere yet can't control the gun violence....
But it was not a car, it was a Backhoe that created the explosion! Seen it with my own eyes.
Under the picture it says "Century Club Plaza".
you misspelled criticize as 'critisize'- sorry, just trying to make things perfect ;)
Wayne it IS a big deal, that's what's wrong with news today, we don't get correct facts!
It IS important to the people who live here to get the facts straight. And you should learn to read, Wayne - the caption says "Century Club Plaza". Also - Country Club Plaza is NOT near downtown. The main portion of The Plaza lies within or near the 4700 block - "downtown" is centered around the Sprint Center - at least a couple of miles away.
My doctor's office was right next door to JJ's - from the photos it appears that it no longer exists. Everyone who works in that office is fine - but the coroner is now onsite.
Hold good thoughts for all who are injured - or worse.
I appreciate the clarification on the vehicle involved. I was thinking to myself, "How does a car hit a gas main?".
Hey Wayne;
Whine much? When was the last time you were ducking bullets, WWII? I've spent a lot of time in the plaza and NEVER heard, let alone been ducking bullets from "Gun Violence". And just to be clear and not forward you half truths. Guns are not violent, only the morons doing stupid things with them are violent. I could load a gun and lay it on a table in the middle of Time Square and all it will do is rust unless and until someone picks it up and uses it. So, how is a gun violent? The only violence comes form your fellow human being. Blaming the devise is spineless and meaningless. It solves nothing and will never solve anything. Prohibition only makes certain people rich selling the item that is banned. Look at Joseph Kennedy, made millions running alcohol in the country from Canada and selling to MOBSTERS. Yet, so many thought Teddy was a self made man, Please.
I was going to tell him to change the channel to a program with less violent content, because like you I don't know WTF he's talking about? :)
2555 - Kansas City's murder rate – 23 homicides per 100,000 people – is the fourth- highest murder rate in the U.S ...
Kansas City is also 3x for Violent crime & robbery compared to the US average. Being a Drug distribution Center has it's advantages...
But then like Chicago, exposure to this VIOLENCE depends on where you live/work and your social/economic status...
Strict Gun Laws only disarm the law abiding Citizens and EMPOWER the Armed Criminals...
Make the Judges and DAs - ENFORCE the Federal Guidelines for crimes committed with GUNS...
Hold gun owners responsible for the crimes committed with their unsecured guns...
Hey, even the Mayor had to duck and dodge bullets coming out of the Cheesecake Factory! His own relatives shoot eachother on Sunday after church, his son is in trouble in the Plaza area several times.
Atlanta, with about 3 million people has LESS murders than K.C. with about half a million.
Speaking of TV channels that can't report storeis right, try starting with the ABC station and NBC station here. And we know that FOX News gets nothing right! All the NBC station here talked about was who they knew at JJ's and the last time they had cocktails there.?????? Bunch of lushes!
Oh, about dodging bullets sucker, it was while I was in Vietnam.....27 months....
And your full of crap if there isn't gun violence at the Plaza area! As I stated above this. Had other shooting there last year.
@AC Where do you get those facts? 4th? St Louis has more. All around, St.Louis tops KC in all bad statistics.
St. Louis City had 113 murders this year. KC had 108, so STL had 5 more. Hardly a huge difference.
St. Louis City has 319,000 people. St. Louis County has 999,000 and only had 37 murders. Combine the two and STL falls below 100 on the dangerous cities list. So to clarify the City and County of St. Louis have a population of 1.3 Million people with only 150 murders. Far too many, of course, but far from the worst in the Country.
You may want to do a little research my friend.
I'd also suggest looking to the rape stats, as KC takes the cake there too.
And for the record I just moved to St. Louis after spending 6 years in KC. LOVE KC. Not trying to paint one City worse than the other just saying if you actually bother to do any research you'll find that the two are more similar than they are different when it comes to violent crime.
Oh and last year STL had 113 and KC had 114...just sayin'
I wasn't aware that Kansas City was in a liberal state. Isn't that what you were saying earlier? That liberal states have the most violent crime? Tell me again about news networks getting facts gummed up.
I used to live in that area. A popular and beautiful area of Kansas City. I hope there are no fatalities.
OMG! they can't even get Country Club Plaza right?? Sh!t it was the first shopping district in the U.S.! JJ's and the Plaza will rebound. They did after the terrible flood of Brush Creek, and will again. Really sad story
From an old KC Plaza fan.
Hey Larry, I remember that flood well. My family lost 2 cars and almost both family members who were in them. My mother's car ended up perched on a fire hydrant, a photo of which was in the KC Star. That block where Dirty Sally's used to be (I tended bar there) exploded from a gas leak. Though I moved away to L.A. soon after that, I'll never forget what the Plaza looked like the next day... My girlfriend cried as we surveyed the damage the heavens wrought on the beautiful Country Club Plaza...
Remember that awful interior deck collapse at that hotel dance in about '79? On Main, wasn't it? All those people killed. My parents, who usually attended those dances, decided not to go that night. They lost close friends. I was tending bar in Long Beach when that came on the news...
And now this... I wish I'd get some good news about my far-away home town for a change...
... Uhh, come to think of it, I think that hotel tragedy was more like '81 or '82. I'm into historical exactitude...
I wonder who told the author that this was the "Century" Club Plaza. I live in Olathe, and I've never heard of it. Country Club Plaza... SMH
>and its wine cellar has been listed by The Wine Spectator as one of the finest in the world.<
Not anymore....... :-(
Isn't gas heat much much safer than oil heat?
No. See above.
i may now live in oregon but KC will always be my home town and i hate to see stuff like this several people i know go to JJs and i have spent lots of time on and around The Plaza hope the injured come through ok
Gee, and thought only the morons here in Ann Arbor complained about mistakes in news articles and couldn't care less about people suffering in tragedy. Hope those who were hurt fully recover.
See Joe, there are morons everywhere not just Ann Arbor. A tragedy is a tragedy and our concern needs to be for those involved, not mistaken location names by the media. Hopefully no fatalities occur from this and the injured do recover fully.
Larry M;
What do expect? We in fly over land, I'm surprised those on either coast even bothered to report it. As far as not getting the name right, I'm shock they got the State right. Since as far as they are concerned, we still have cattle roaming the streets.
If everyone is OK then I'll worry about the wine.
Thank goodness the injuries are not what they could have been on a "normal" night. They had warning there was a leak. Keep those folks in your prayers! Lots of people out of their homes tonight. It could have been SO much worse.
This appears to be more involved, a Dr. from the area was just interviewed on CBS and his office was complaining about gas at 1 p.m.. Construction people didn't appear to be taking serious. The explosion happened around 5:30 p.m.. They are checking under the street now.
"Howdidrepublicansevergetelected?" There use to be people who could and wanted to stand on their own 2 feet....that's how.
Maybe I should change my handle to "How did We Successfully Become a Nation?"
It sure wasn't by relying on the "gimme, gimme, gimme" class we have now!
"How did republicans ever get elected"? Like owning a Harley-Davidson, If I have to explain it, you clearly wouldn't understand.
But I'll try. You see, Once upon a time, in a nation far, far removed from the government dependent, I have a right to everything free shell it has become, We had people to whom even the thought of living "on the dole" was completely unacceptable. We worked hard, we played hard and we took care of our families. We had dreams and Worked to make them a reality, be it a home purchase, starting a business, or buying a new car. A lot of us did, and no we didn't need governments help as this poser seems to convince everyone. We lived within our means and didn't tun up staggering debt, either private or public. Something most simple can not conceive today. In other words we worked and saved to buy things, we didn't put it a card and then expect everyone else to pay it off.
Sadly, in today's America, those under 40 seem to think everything is supposed to be free. You attack those who have worked to get ahead, while demanding you slice of their pie. Never mind you haven't got off you a$$ to earn any of it. If people can come here from aboard, work hard and make millions, why can't my fellow Americans, oh that's right, you think being a lazy, fat, lump makes you "entitled" to a living free gratis. My fellow Americans, being Fat, lazy, drunk and drug addicted is no way to go through life. Especially if you think those of us who worked for everything we have should have to pay for it. Get a JOB!!!
Originally the US VOTER was restricted to male land owners. Those that paid the taxes to run the US Government...
Now the BELOW average income earners are selecting the US POLITICIANS, based on who will give them more FREE benefits...
Obama was elected by the people living in the HIGHEST crime rate areas in the USA. But his 'Give Away' policies & weaker Immigration Laws were the deciding factor, NOT stricter Law ENFORCEMENT... Ha! Ha!
I'm under 40 and do those very things. I grew up in hard times in WY after the bust of an oil boom. Life was tough. I knew alot about mortages, forclosures, etc by the time I was is second grade. I was damn grateful for what my parents could afford to give me and somehow they managed to have presents under the tree on every Christmas. I think if everyone had to endure a hardship or two while growing up, it would better their character and this country.
Tragic event - but is continual coverage on the TV REALLY necessary? Too much speculating and heresay at this point. Report on the facts after they're established.
The "car hit a gas main" headline is being parroted by all the news outlets. Here's a scoop: GAS MAINS ARE UNDERGROUND! Some cop made an offhand comment, and all of a sudden, it's gospel to the national news.
There are many gas mains that come out of the ground and enter a building on the side.
True that, but it was a back hoe doing a utility dig that caused the explosion.
If there was an odor of gas four hours before the explosion, the backhoe operator doesn't deserve the entire blame. On the other hand, what was he doing digging when gas could be smelled. That's why they put the additive in natural gas that gave it that distinctive smell.
Gas company needs to be held accountable for this,thats what they want to do to the gun makers...fair is fair,put the CEO of the gas co. on prison..
No, it's the fault of the locating service or the contractor.
obama just reported that this was the work of President Bush!
If someone smelled gas prior to the event????? Lots of fishy gas explosions. Gas companies need to update???? If that's true, how much would it cost????? and whom?????
Update what? Thanks to NBC we have no idea what work was being done or why.
Oh no not the wine!!!!
These so called Assault Cars (cars that drive over 20 miles an hour) should be banned. No one needs to drive over 20 miles an hour there is no reason for these type massacres to occur if responsible assault car legislation were to be passed. Assault cars contribute 150% more deaths than guns. The time to act is now! Ban these Assault Cars NOW!!!
Yeah I saw one assault car the other day that had thirty three inch wheels and a vibrating noise which made a thumping sort of sound with no rythem whatsoever ever just a noise that seemed to say"Look at Me, Look at Me!!! Everyone around was disgusted, not impressed but the assault driver was intent on everyone getting to share his er, eh, music? Anyway he turned up the volume so others could enjoy the tuneless booming noise while he went in to pay for his gasoline.
Come on. Enough is enough. This "reporting" has gone on for hours without any real info. They are just milking this for all they can get. It's not worth taking up our whole evening of TV viewing especially when they don't know anything and are just asking the same stupid questions over and over and getting the same answers. Or just repeating the same things over and over. WOW real reporting going on here. How many people do we have to listen to saying "my building shook" or "I smelled gas" or "here's a firetruck" or talk about how pets reacted? I don't care what people are saying on Facebook or Twitter or whatever. Get some real news to report then I'll care. Until then stop guessing and dragging this out just to take up TV time.
Agree totally. Of the 3 majors, nbc was the best-they asked the least most stupid or irrelevant questions.
A car hit a gas main story was on TV also. I would like to know how that happened?
Perhaps that is the information the media were given by the authorities. Why is it so important to you?
I Resigned, they said at one they smelled gas and then they said a car hit the gas main. Why bother to read a news story if the facts are not important? If I want to hear anything without facts I'll listen to Rachel Madcow on MSNBC.
I am an engineer and investigated many construction accidents including natural gas deflagrations (this is what the gas explosion is technically). A gas deflagration is a subsonic detonation of a gas vapor cloud. A gas leak from a buried main can travel laterally through the soil for quite a distance. It will rise because it is less dense than air through the soil and through concrete and paving. When it comes up through any hard scape it dispurses unless it is shielded like in a building. If it is shielded from the atmosphere, it will pool in the space. When mixed with air in the trapped space, it will reach a point of flamability and can be detonated by any initiator (spark, open flame, etc.). Once detonation occurs, it is a subsonic flame front that is generally in the 4 to 6 psi range of overpressure. This is sufficient to blow out windows and roofs. The real hazard to humans is from debris and from the flames.
Thanks for the information!!
Natural gas has no odor. Odorant (mercaptan) is added to help make it perceivable to humans. The natural gas is volatile. The odorant is not. One can smell mercaptan even if there is insufficient natural gas to burn.
This was a tragic construction accident that should not have happened if proper safety protocols were employed. They obviously had a gas leak that was known by the fire department and the gas company. They had and were using gas detectors. They should have used and employed a proper job hazard analysis and initiated an immediate evacuation plan.