Explosion in Villa Rica,Ga

Elaine Bailey, a Southern writer from Ga has written Genealogy Quest - TracIng Your Family Tree, and two poetry books, Buttermilk Clouds, and Pompadour and Pearls: A Patchwork of Poetry. Now she has researched and written an historical book, Explosion in Villa Rica. Elaine was poet laureate in 1991 and nominated for best poetry author in 1995 by Georgia Writers, Inc. She was published in West Georgia College’s Eclectic magazine. Elaine and her husband, John, live in Douglasville. She has two children, David Bailey and Sueann Smith, a son-in-law, Kevin, and two grandchildren, Gena and Jake. Bailey, a local author from Douglasville, has written a book titled Explosion in Villa Rica about one of the greatest catastrophes in Georgia. On December 5, 1957 there was a natural gas leak in the downtown business district that lead to a major explosion and fire that leveled half a block and resulted in the loss of twelve lives and in the injury of thirty-four others. "This was the 911 of the earlier generation. Many people in Georgia still remember today where they were when they heard about the explosion." This 212 page book shows 57 black and white vintage photos many of which were taken at