>> ACTION NEWS NOW, NEWS AT 5:00, EYE ON PHOENIX.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M JACK TRAP.
>> I'M BETH RUNION. OUR TOP STORY, CHAOS AT THE
CANYON GALLERIA SHOPPING CENTER TODAY AS AN UNDERGROUND GAS MAIN
EXPLODED GIVING SHOPPERS QUITE A SCARE.
AT THE AMERICAN GIRL STORE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY
HURT. >> ACTION 9'S BEN HARTLY IS LIVE
AT THE CANYON GALLERIA, IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX.
BEN, QUITE A SCENE DOWN THERE TODAY.
>> Reporter: YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN JACK.
I'M JOINED BY DEBBIE PRECHARD, AND THOMAS DEAN.
TWO CUSTOMERS WHO WERE INSIDE THE AMERICAN GIRL STORE WHEN THE
EXPLOSION HAPPENED. MY FIRST QUESTION OBVIOUSLY, ARE
YOUR CHILDREN OKAY? >> YES, MY DAUGHTER IS FINE,
SHE'S IN THE CAR WITH HER DAD. >> Reporter: AND YOU MR. DEAN?
>> OH, I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN. I HAD JUST BRIEFLY POPPED INTO
AMERICAN GIRL STORE TO BUY A DOLL FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
IT WAS NOT FOR ME. IT WAS A GIFT.
>> Reporter: OKAY. NOW WAS THERE ANY WARNING?
WHAT HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THE EXPLOSION?
WHAT HAPPENED? >> I WAS IN LINE BEHIND MR. DEAN
WHO WAS BUYING HIS DOLL. >> AS A GIFT.
>> AND HE WAS ARGUING WITH THE SALESPERSON SAYING HIS DOLL'S
HAIR STYLE LOOKED SLOPPY AND NOT OF THE PERIOD.
>> YEAH, AND THEN THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED, JUST LIKE A BOOM.
>> YES, EXACTLY, AND ACTUALLY, I NEED TO THANK MR. DEAN, BECAUSE
MY LOST THOUGHT BEFORE THE EXPLOSION WAS THIS GROWN MAN IS
ALL ALONE IN A DOLL STORE AND HE'S SCREAMING ABOUT HIS DOLL'S
HAIR STYLE. >> I BARELY RAISED MY VOICE.
WASN'T SCREAMING. >> AND I THOUGHT THAT'S REALLY
WEIRD. >> YEAH, NOT IF IT'S A GIFT
THOUGH. NOT IF IT'S A GIFT.
>> AND I SORT OF -- I INSTINCTIVELY HUGGED MY DAUGHTER
CLOSER TO ME TO PROTECT HER. AND THAT ACTUALLY SAVED HER FROM
SOME FALLING GLASS. >> Reporter: WOW, WOW.
WELL THANK GOD YOU WERE OBSESSED WITH YOUR DOLL'S HAIR STYLE.
>> IT WAS MORE THAT IT WAS MESSY.
UPPER CLASS GIRLS IN THE 1920S WERE ALWAYS VERY PUT TOGETHER,
SO I'M TOLD. IT WAS A GIFT.
IT WAS SO CHAOTIC. >> Reporter: YEAH, YEAH, I BET.
JACK AND BETH, CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU ARE HEARING?
>> NO. I MEAN, IT'S DEFINITELY HIS
DOLL, RIGHT? >> YES.
WE ARE JOINED NOW VIA SATELLITE BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF CANYON
ROCK GAS, KAREN KELLER. THANKS FOR SPEAKING WITH US,
MS. KELLER. >> MY PLEASURE.
>> NOW, SHOULD RESIDENTS BE CONCERNED BY THIS?
>> THERE'S NO REASON TO PANIC, JUST BECAUSE A GROWN MAN
COLLECTS DOLLS, IT DOESN'T MEAN HE'S A PREDATOR.
>> I'M SORRY, MS. KELLER -- I'M SORRY IF I WASN'T CLEAR.
I WAS REFERRING TO THE GAS MAIN EXPLOSION.
>> OH, YES, THAT'S VERY BAD. >> WELL, THANK YOU, MS. KELLER.
>> LET'S CHECK BACK IN WITH BEN DOWN AT THE SCENE.
BEN? >> Reporter: YEAH, JACK, BETH,
I'M HERE WITH ANOTHER EYEWITNESS, MS. BECCA SIMS, AN
EMPLOYEE AT THE AMERICAN GIRL STORE.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED? >> YES, I WORK IN THE CAFE WHERE
DOLL OWNERS CAN EAT WITH THEIR DOLLS.
AND I WAS SETTING UP A TABLE FOR THE GENTLEMAN YOU WERE SPEAKING
WITH EARLIER, MR. DEAN, AND HIS DOLL, KIRSTEN.
>> THAT WASN'T ME, THAT WAS SOMEONE ELSE.
>> NO, IT WAS HIM. HE HANDED ME A $20 BILL AND SAID
GET US A TABLE WITH A VIEW. KIRSTEN'S NEW MONEY, NOT TROLLEY
TRASH. >> THEN THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED.
JUST LIKE A BOOCHLT DO YOU REMEMBER THE EXPLOSION.
>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT. >> IT WAS JUST A BOOM OUT OF
NOWHERE. >> Reporter: NO, I MEAN, THE
PHRASE "TROLLEY TRASH." >> OH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
IN THE 1920S LOWER CLASS PROSTITUTES WOULD OFTEN LOOK FOR
CUSTOMERS ON TROLLEY CARTS. SO, I'M TOLD.
IT'S A GIFT. OH, MY GOD.
THIS IS CRAZY. >> Reporter: OKAY, BETH, JACK, I
SEE AN EMERGENCY SERVICE WORKER HERE.
SIR, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE SITUATION INSIDE THE STORE?
>> SURE. WELL, LUCKILY WE HAVE NO
INJURIES EXCEPT FOR THIS LITTLE LADY WE FOUND ON THE GROUND.
>> SHE'S GOING TO BE ON TV, SHE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE A HAT.
IT'S A GIFT. >> OKAY.
WELL, THE -- STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IS EXTENSIVE, AND RIGHT NOW IT
LOOKS LIKE THE AMERICAN GIRL STORE IS GOING TO BE CLOSED FOR
AT LEAST EIGHT MONTHS. >> DOES THAT INCLUDE THE SALON
ON THE SECOND FLOOR? >> THE WHOLE BUILDING.
>> OOH. >> Reporter: WELL THANKS FOR
TALKING WITH US. JACK, BETH, BACK TO YOU IN THE
STUDIO. >> WELL, QUITE AN ORDEAL FOR
THOSE CUSTOMERS DOWN THERE. >> HE WILL BE FINE.
THERE'S ANOTHER AMERICAN GIRL STORE IN TEMPE.
>> JACK -- WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]