A gas-blast type of circuit interrupter is provided having an arcing chamber of insulating material with rows of lateral venting slots, serving as splitters. A cluster of stationary contact fingers within the arcing chamber make separating engagement with a tubular movable contact. A stationary hollow insulating arc plug is provided interiorly of the arcing chamber, within which gas is forced to flow. The arcing plug has lateral inlet slots provided therein, which emit arcing gas under pressure into the interior of the arcing chamber and laterally outwardly across the arc, and radially outwardly through the lateral slots provided in the stationary insulating arcing chamber. The arc is moved by the radial outward blast to be forced against the arcing splitters provided by the sidewalls of the stationary insulating arcing chamber. As an alternate arrangement, a side lateral dump is provided adjacent an elongated arcing contact finger, at which the arc is constantly drawn. This prevents the accumulation of stagnant ionized gases and arc products, which may otherwise accumulate in the pocket surrounding the annular stationary contact finger assembly.