A propane gas leak explosion has injured two people inside a food truck at the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival in Pittsboro, as confirmed by Chatham County officials. According to a Chapelboro.com report, the incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. yesterday, during festival setup, and before the musical and arts events had officially commenced. Fire Marshal Billy Judson revealed that the explosion was contained within the Stuffyman's Vegan Stuff food truck, where two workers sustained injuries.
One of the injured, identified by his wife to ABC11 as the owner of the food truck, Eric Zeigler, has been severely burned on 30% of his body and is expected to undergo treatment at the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center for a few months. The condition of the second injured person remains undisclosed. The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival staff were commended for their swift action in managing the fire before emergency services arrived at the scene.
The burned interior of the food truck and the festival grounds where the explosion occurred were documented in photos shared by the county, and aerial footage captured by WRAL's helicopter. These visual accounts show the aftermath of an explosion that has marred what is known for being a joyous annual celebration of music and arts. Despite this incident, CBS17 notes that festival officials stated the remainder of the weekend's festivities would proceed as planned.
Emergency response teams from across Chatham County, including the North Chatham, Silk Hope, and Pittsboro Fire Departments, the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, and FirstHealth EMS, were thanked by Marshal Judson for their support, as mentioned in a statement obtained by Chapelboro.com. The festival gates had opened to campers at 10 a.m. yesterday, with celebrations intended to kick off a with Diali Cissokho's opening ceremony slated for 4:30 p.m.
