The shell of a home still smolders Wednesday near the center of the massive fireball from Tuesday's gas explosion in Sissonville, while melted metal from a car in front of the house runs down the hill.

This gas transmission line burst into flames at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, leaving a large crater and destroying four homes.

Officials for the National Transportation and Safety Board huddle in the cold Wednesday morning near the site of the explosion and fire. NTSB officials are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

Both north and southbound lanes of Interstate 77, which were enveloped by flames during the blaze, reopened Wednesday after a frantic overnight effort by paving crews to repair the damaged section of interstate.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board examine a 20-foot-long section of pipe found more than 40 feet from where an explosion occurred near Columbia Gas Transmission's Lanham Compressor Station at Rocky Fork on Tuesday.

Gazette photo by LAWRENCE PIERCE.......'GASLINESITE3'.......9.5x6.26.......Sission ville gas line damage.......12/12/12.......