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Explosion rocks Balise Honda

Date: 3/23/2011

March 23, 2011

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD — An explosion rocked the Balise Honda dealership, located at 400 Riverdale St., at approximately 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The West Springfield Fire Department responded with two apparatus and two ambulances, while two police cruisers blocked access to the site.

Smoke was still rising from the dealership at approximately 10:15 a.m. and a member of the fire department instructed Reminder Publications to leave the area because there was "still an issue with the side of the building and this area is not safe."

Windows in the second story rear of the building were blown out and glass littered the parking lot as employees were told the building was being closed for the remainder of the day.

An unidentified employee confirmed that there had been at least one death in the explosion.

"I'd never seen anything like that in my life, only in the movies," one eyewitness said.

Reminder Publications intern Patrick Kelley assisted with this story.





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