NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA

Local News

October 7, 2008

Man charged with blowing up gas tank

ROWLEY — Police charged a local man with blowing up a propane tank that created a bang loud enough to be heard a mile away.

Joseph O'Malley, 24, of 46 Bradford St., was arraigned yesterday on charges of using an explosive, having an illegal open fire and disturbing the peace. He has a pre-trial hearing on Nov. 19.

Police responded to reports of an explosion at 46 Bradford St. on Sept. 22 and determined someone had been burning cans of chemicals and a propane cylinder. According to police reports, O'Malley had been warned about a similar burn on Sept. 8. O'Malley was not at the scene on Sept. 22, although neighbors reported a person matching his description running away after the explosion.

According to reports, when police talked with O'Malley later that evening, he claimed he knew about the fire but was not present during the explosion. O'Malley said he had a witness who would say he was not at the scene, but O'Malley did not elaborate, according to reports.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Port Pics
AP Video
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Special Features