Current:Home > MyOfficials identify 2 men killed in Idaho gas station explosion -WealthMindset Learning
Officials identify 2 men killed in Idaho gas station explosion
View
Date:2025-04-13 23:23:43
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Authorities have identified two people killed when a gas station exploded and started a fire in a remote Idaho town last week.
The Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office said Brandon Cook, 53, of Orofino and Wesley Lineberry, 62, of Pierce were both killed in the explosion at the Atkinson Distributing station in Cardiff on Sept. 11.
Two others were badly burned in the explosion and subsequent fire, and they remained hospitalized on Wednesday. Separate GoFundMe pages identified the injured as fuel tanker driver Donny Billeter and gas station attendant Roxann Hubbs.
A fuel tanker semi truck was in the process of filling the above-ground tanks at the station when the explosion happened just after 3 p.m., said Idaho State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl. The blast destroyed the tanker and sent debris including truck parts, piping, pieces of the tank and chunks from the gas station building flying across an area about the size of a city block, Sandahl said.
Both the tanker truck driver and the gas station attendant were near the truck when the explosion occurred. The bodies of Lineberry and Cook were found just outside the gas station, but investigators have not yet confirmed if they were inside or outside the building when the disaster began, Sandahl said.
It’s not yet clear what caused the explosion, Sandahl said, and the National Transportation Safety Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are assisting in the investigation.
“We’re digging deep and it’s just going to take some time,” said Sandahl. “I’m hoping we’ll have something a little bit more definitive to release in October sometime.”
Some nearby buildings were also damaged by the explosion and fire, and the remaining fuel at the site has been an obstacle for investigators. A regional hazardous materials response team was called in to help mitigate the danger.
Gas station explosions are rare, Sandahl said.
“In my 19 years of being a state fire marshal here in Idaho, this is the first incident I’m aware of,” he said.
Offloading — the process of moving fuel from a tanker truck to a station’s storage tanks — increases the risk somewhat but is still typically a very safe process because the drivers follow specific procedures, he said.
“Quite honestly, I think the most dangerous thing is fueling up your vehicle while smoking or filling plastic gas cans in the back of your pickup truck,” which increases the risk of sparks from static electricity, Sandahl said. “As we know from high school chemistry, it’s actually the fumes that are volatile, and if there is a spark introduced, it can cause a problem.”
veryGood! (67)
Related
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- Vermont college chapel renamed over eugenics link can keep new title, judge says
- Mega Millions winning numbers for October 8 drawing: Jackpot rises to $129 million
- Language barriers and lack of money is a matter of life and death with Milton approaching Florida
- Small twin
- Traveling? These Are The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals on Life-Saving Travel Accessories, Starting at $7
- Shop Prime Day 2024 Beauty Deals From 52 Celebrities: Kyle Richards, Sydney Sweeney, Kandi Burruss & More
- Patrick says Texas Legislature will review Deloitte’s contracts after public loan project scandal
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- State police recruit’s death in Massachusetts overshadows graduation ceremony
Ranking
- At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers
- Mets vs Phillies live updates: NY can finish upset in NLDS Game 4, time, TV channel
- Michigan Woman Eaten by Shark on Vacation in Indonesia
- Michigan Woman Eaten by Shark on Vacation in Indonesia
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Mental health support for toddlers has lagged in Texas. That’s now changing.
- This California ballot measure promises money for health care. Its critics warn it could backfire
- Michigan Woman Eaten by Shark on Vacation in Indonesia
Recommendation
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
Jon Batiste’s ‘Beethoven Blues’ transforms classical works into unique blues and gospel renditions
2 teams suing NASCAR ask court to allow them to compete under new charter agreement as case proceeds
I worked out with Jake Gyllenhaal, Matt Damon’s trainer. The results shocked me.
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
Next Met Gala chairs: Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and LeBron James
Rudy Giuliani’s son says dad gifted him 4 World Series rings sought by Georgia election workers
Mississippi’s Medicaid director is leaving for a private-sector job