NC coast already hectic ahead of Erin with rip current rescues, explosion
COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON.
>> A BUSY DAY OF BREAKING NEWS
IN WILMINGTON. A NEARBY
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, A GAS LINE
EXPLOSION ON A BUSY ROAD
INJURED. 3 FIREFIGHTERS AND A
FEW MILES AWAY AT WRIGHTSVILLE
BEACH. LIFEGUARDS BUSY TODAY
WITH DOZENS OF RESCUES AS
HURRICANE ERIN KICKS UP THE
SURF AND THE RIP CURRENT RISK.
HERE'S HEIDI KIRK IS FOLLOWING
BOTH OF THESE BREAKING STORIES
FOR US AT THE SITE OF THE
EXPLOSION. HEIDI, IT'S BEEN A
BUSY DAY FOR EMERGENCY CREWS.
>> JERROLD, IT CERTAINLY HAS.
AND I HAVE TO MENTION IN JUST
THE LAST 5 MINUTES OR SO, THE
ROAD OPEN HERE, THIS IS THE
AREA WHERE CREWS HAVE BEEN
WORKING PRETTY MUCH ALL DAY
LONG TO GET THE DEBRIS CLEANED
UP AFTER THAT EXPLOSION.
BUT THIS IS FAR FROM WHERE WE
STARTED OUR DAY THIS MORNING
AT THE BEACH WHERE CREWS ARE
PREPARING FOR THE IMPACTS OF
HURRICANE ERIN.
>> YOU COULDN'T MISS IT.
SMOKE BLANKETING WILMINGTON
AFTER THIS EXPLOSION CAUSED BY
A GAS LINE.
>> I'M MICAH WAS ALLOWED TO THE
POINT WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
SITTING ON LIKE THE BOOST TO
GET HER 30 YEARS. LOVINGTON
POLICE SAY A CAR SLAMMED INTO
THE EASTERN CAROLINA VETERINARY
REFERRAL FACILITY AROUND
ELEVEN-THIRTY HITTING THE GAS
LINE IN CAUSING THE EXPLOSION.
>> DEBRIS SENT EVERYWHERE.
THE DRIVER OF THAT CAR TOOK OFF
AND WAS QUICKLY ARRESTED.
4 FIREFIGHTERS WERE HURT TRYING
TO CONTROL THE EXPLOSIVE
FLAMES. ONE HAS SEVERE BURNS,
THE CHAOTIC SCENE TIED UP
EMERGENCY PHONE LINES. AT ONE
POINT, THE NEW HANOVER COUNTY
9-1-1, CENTER.
>> ASKED PEOPLE TO STOP CALLING
DUE TO THE FLOOD OF KOHL'S.
JUST MILES AWAY. ANOTHER
INTENSE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT
THE COAST. WRAL WAS THERE IS
SWIMMERS WERE PULLED TO SAFETY
FROM RIP CURRENTS BROUGHT BY
HURRICANE ERIN WRIGHTSVILLE
OCEAN RESCUE DIRECTOR TELLING
US YESTERDAY THERE WERE 60 OR
70 RESCUES IN TOTAL WHILE IT
MAY LOOK LIKE A PERFECT BEACH
DAY. IF YOU'RE IN THE WATER,
IT'S FAR FROM IT. WE HAVE A
STORM COMING TO US.
>> FOR US THIS LITTLE BIT
BETTER BECAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO
NOT WANT TO COME TO THE BEACH.
THEY KNOW IS GOING TO BE RAINY.
WHATEVER ELSE FOR US A COUPLE
TIMES A DAY LIKE TODAY WAS NICE
OUT. PEOPLE WANT TO GET THE
WATER IS THIS HIGH. BUT WE ALSO
HAVE, LIKE I SAID, YOU'RE VERY
DANGEROUS. RIP CURRENTS TO
DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AT THE
COAST JUST MILES APART.
>> AND WE JUST SAW THE LAST
EMERGENCY RESPONDER PULL OUT OF
HERE WHERE WE'RE STANDING,
WHERE THAT EXPLOSION HAPPENED.
NOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO GET
UPDATES ON THE FIREFIGHTERS
WHO WERE INJURED HERE ON THIS
SCENE.
>> WE'VE JUST LEARNED THAT 3 OF
THEM WILL BE DISCHARGED FROM
THE HOSPITAL THIS EVENING IN
THE 4TH WAS SENT TO UNC CHAPEL