Blast kills 3 after workers hit gas line

Bergenfield, N.J. An explosion and fire ripped through an apartment complex Tuesday after construction workers hit a gas line, authorities said. At least three people were killed and five were injured.

The 9:30 a.m. blast blew out windows, lifted nearby residents off their feet and sparked a fire that sent up plumes of smoke visible 10 miles away.

Several residents who fled the 24-unit building said they heard an elderly woman screaming for help because her husband was trapped inside the apartment closest to the blast.

“I wanted to go in and look for him but there was no way,” said David Coradin, 54, who was taking a shower in his apartment when the explosion blew out his front door and shattered his windows.

Most of the building’s roof and about a third of the second floor had collapsed, authorities said.

Officials said preliminary investigations showed that a pit dug by construction workers who were trying to remove an underground oil tank collapsed and pinched a gas line just before 9 a.m.

Utility crews were sent to the scene after residents nearby reported the odor of gas. Thirty 30 minutes later, the explosion shook the area.

Gerald Ford released after tests at hospital

Rancho Mirage, Calif. Former President Gerald Ford was released Tuesday evening from the hospital after what his chief of staff called routine medical tests.

Ford, 92, was admitted to Eisenhower Medical Center late Monday.

“He’s in for medical tests, routine tests,” Ford’s chief of staff, Penny Circle, said. “He’s had a horrible cold, and he still hasn’t gotten over it.”

Ford returned Tuesday evening to his Rancho Mirage home, about 110 miles east of Los Angeles, according to hospital spokeswoman Elizabeth Wholihan.

Circle said Ford undergoes medical tests each December. He had two days of hospital tests in January to follow-up on last year’s annual physical.

After the death of Ronald Reagan in June 2004, Ford became the nation’s oldest living former president.

Woman, fetus are well after parachute failure

Siloam Springs, Ark. Shayna Richardson was making her first solo skydiving jump when she had trouble with her parachutes and, while falling at about 50 mph, hit face first in a parking lot.

Although badly hurt, she survived – and doctors treating her injuries discovered she was pregnant. Four surgeries and two months later, Richardson said she and the fetus are doing fine.

“Just this last week we went and saw the doctor and we’ve got arms, we’ve got legs. We’ve got a full face. The baby is moving around just fine. The heart rate looks good. So not only did God save me but he spared this baby,” she said.

Richardson, 21, of Joplin, Mo., was skydiving in Siloam Springs on Oct. 9 when her main parachute failed.

“I heard a snap and I started spinning and I didn’t know why. I didn’t know what to do to fix it. I didn’t know how to make it stop,” Richardson told Fort Smith, Ark., television station KFSM.

She cut away her primary chute so her reserve could deploy, but it didn’t open all the way. She spun out of control, heading straight for the asphalt below.

Rescuers got her to a hospital in Fayetteville, where Richardson underwent surgery. She broke her pelvis in two places, broke her leg, lost six teeth and now has 15 steel plates.

During treatment, doctors found that Richardson was pregnant, which was a surprise to her. She said she would not have jumped had she known.