Woman's jewelry, life savings reportedly found in rubble of Paterson ... - NJ.com
PATERSON – A woman who thought she lost everything in the explosion that destroyed her home along with others this week was reunited with some very prized possessions, according to a News12 report.
Laurice Kalyoussef told reporters a cleanup crew discovered jewelry her late husband had given her – along with her life savings of $9,400 cash. Kalyoussef had asked Bill Vecharello, who is in charge of clearing debris, to keep an eye out for her possessions, the report said.
"I was nervous for three days now," Kalyoussef told News12. "But when he started looking I was telling him what I was missing. He kept looking. He did the greatest job just to find what I am asking him for. It's great. It's wonderful."
Vecharello said finding the jewelry and cash was like discovering a needle in a haystack.
"(We found it) in the bottom of the pile believe it or not," the worker told News12.
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Tuesday's powerful natural gas explosion rocked Kalyoussef's neighborhood, leveling two homes and damaging 13 others. More than a dozen firefighters were hurt.
Two houses were reduced to rubble in the blast, which occurred just before 9:30 a.m. in a three-story home at 16 Goshen Street. A third house was torn down and safety experts have been evaluating whether others should be taken down once debris is cleared.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
