Gas Geysers Erupt in Kansas Town

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) â€” Natural gas shooting as much as 30 feet out of the ground caused an explosion at a mobile home park Thursday, injuring three people. <br><br>The explosion followed a blast Wednesday

Thursday, January 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) â€” Natural gas shooting as much as 30 feet out of the ground caused an explosion at a mobile home park Thursday, injuring three people.

The explosion followed a blast Wednesday that destroyed two businesses in downtown Hutchinson, about 60 miles northwest of Wichita.

An expert from the Kansas Geological Survey said the gas may be coming from an old gas well.

Two of those injured in Thursday's blast at Big Chief Mobile Home Park were in serious condition.

Police evacuated hundreds of people, including children at three elementary schools and employees at Underground Vaults & Storage, which houses such treasures as the original film negative of ``The Wizard of Oz,'' secret U.S. government documents and thousands of medical research biopsies encased in wax.

In Wednesday's fire, a couple planning their Valentine's Day wedding suffered minor injuries, and their 1986 Pontiac was destroyed.

``This makes our wedding even more special,'' Stacy Smith said.

Rex Buchanan, associate director of the Kansas Geological Survey in Lawrence, said that explosion occurred near a natural gas well drilled in 1924 that may be leaking gas.

``You don't just randomly see natural gas coming to the surface where it's concentrated enough for a fire to start,'' he said.

Gas may have escaped from the well may have traveled up travel up through natural fractures in the bedrock, mixing with shallow ground water and creating the geysers, he said. If the gas is concentrated and finds an ignition source, it could cause an explosion and fire.

Residents were warned to notify police if they discovered sinkholes on their property.