One year ago, many Kansas Citians knew about a natural gas explosion at JJ’s Restaurant before news outlets began to report the story.
Wednesday marks the one-year anniversary of the blast that hundreds of Kansas Citians saw firsthand or felt on the Country Club Plaza.
We wanted to know more about what you remembered from that evening.
This week, we took to the airwaves and social media with these questions: Where were you during the JJ’s explosion? What about the tragedy still sticks with you?
Several listeners shared close calls they had with the fire, which resulted in one death and injured at least 15 people.
Dianne White, who lives in a condo near the Plaza, recalled running by JJ’s roughly an hour before the explosion.
“I remember watching the smoke from our balcony,” White (@DMcWhite7) tells us on Twitter. “When we heard it was natural gas explosion my heart sank, recalling my run.”
Another listener remembered witnessing the aftermath of the explosion above Kansas City.
“I was in a commercial airplane flying over the site on my way home from Florida,” Barbara Waldron tells us on Facebook. “I saw the flames but didn't know what I was looking out until I landed and my friend texted me that the Plaza was on fire.”
See more of the “Tell KCUR” conversation below.
For the full Twitter stream, follow the #TellKCUR hashtag.
Tell KCUR is part of a new initiative to engage the community and shine a light on your experiences and opinions. We’ll ask a new question every week and then share your feedback on the air and online.
