Ghent, West Virginia
Ghent, West Virginia | |
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UTC-4 (EDT) | |
GNIS feature ID | 2586809[2] |
Ghent
History
The community's name commemorates the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812.[4]
In 1949, plans were made to create an
In 1958, the Bald Knob Ski Resort was opened on the epynonymous mountain, near Ghent.[7] The resort was not a financial success, closing in 1961. A new resort opened on nearby Huff Knob fifteen years later, was much more successful, and is still in business. The second theme park now operates as Winterplace Ski Resort, which is considered on Tripadvisor to be Ghent's main attraction. The site of the old park is still visible on the opposite slopes, and is referred to by locals as "Old Winterplace".
2007 Propane Disaster
On January 30, 2007, the Little General
The
Another finding showed the propane tank had been built flush with the back wall of the building, in a direct violation of OSHA's requirement that industrial propane tanks be built at least 10 feet (3.0 meters) away from other structures. The closeness of the tank allowed the vapors from the high-pressure release of propane to strike the eaves and enter the building through vents near the roof. While the exact ignition source was never determined, it was noted practically all the potential ignition sources encompassed by the vapor cloud were inside the building (such as the pizza ovens, electrical equipment, and heating elements). This meant the nearness of the tank to the building was almost certainly responsible for the leak escalating into an explosion. Finally, the transfer valve that failed, releasing the vapors, was recovered after the explosion, and revealed a manufacturing fault freezing it in the "open" position. Such valves have a cap with a side hole, which will release a small jet of propane when twisted, if the valve is stuck open. This jet is a warning to a technician not to remove the cap; however, the untrained junior technician had removed the cap of the faulty valve, allowing the release, and had almost certainly not known to twist-check it first, having neither seen nor attempted a transfer before. The CSB released all their findings in a public meeting in Ghent in 2008, describing what had happened as a completely preventable tragedy, and stressing the importance of properly mandated training for first responders and hazardous chemical personnel.[10][11]
Climate
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the
Media
Ghent is home to the studios of WVNS-TV.[13]
References
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ghent, West Virginia
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 266.
- ^ "$190,000 in 1951 to 2021". CPI inflation Calculator. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Flat Top Lake Association (June 7, 2021). "History:Flat Top Lake Association". FlatTopLakeWV.org. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Cox, Therese S. (March 1, 1999). "First came the springs then the rafting and skiing then the lure of the outdoors then the festivals, then the..." Charleston Daily Mail. Archived from the original on March 18, 2006. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
- ^ Urbina, Ian (January 31, 2007). "4 Killed in Gas Explosion Near West Virginia Resort". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2007.
- ^ US Chemical Safety Board (2009). "CSB Safety Video:Half an Hour to Tragedy". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Little General Store Propane Explosion". US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. September 25, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (September 25, 2008). "Investigation Report:Little General Store-Propane Explosion (four killed, six injured)" (PDF). Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ Climate Summary for Ghent, West Virginia
- ^ "Contact Us - WVNS-TV". WVNSTV.com. May 30, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2021.