Pig Pit Goes Boom

At about 10:30 p.m. on August 14, the police and fire departments were called to a residence on Noble Street in Casa de Oro after neighbors heard a loud explosion. There was plenty excitement among the ten or twelve partygoers when firefighters arrived on the scene, but it was quickly determined that there was no fire or injuries.

When questioned, the owner of the house explained that he had been planning a Polynesian-style luau for some time and that he had dug a large fire pit in the backyard to roast the 280-pound pig he had purchased for the occasion. The problem (the explosion) occurred when he was trying to ignite the fire in the five-foot-wide, four-foot-deep fire pit. To light the barbecue quickly, he was using a small amount of gasoline as an accelerant. The chef apparently waited too long before striking the match, and fumes from the gasoline ignited and resulted in an explosion that was heard several blocks away.

The owner of the house was not guilty of any wrongdoing and so was not cited by police or the fire department. The luau went on as planned.

(stock photo)