2 dead, 2 critically injured in Idaho gas station explosion

BOISE, Idaho ( ABC4 ) — An explosion at an Idaho gas station on Wednesday left two dead and two others critically injured, according to the Idaho Dept. of Insurance.

The explosion occurred at a gas station in Cardiff, Idaho, Wednesday afternoon. Two were taken to the hospital with severe burns and it was believed there were other victims. Investigators from the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office sifted through the debris of the fire Thursday morning.

“The focus Thursday morning was the difficult task of locating any victims. Unfortunately, two victims were located and turned over to the custody of the Clearwater County Coroner’s Office,” the department stated in a press release. “The State Fire Marshal’s Office offers its heartfelt condolences to the family of these two victims and hopes for a speedy recovery to the others injured in this devastating incident.”

The amount of fuel around the scene due to the explosion proved to be an obstacle for investigators, officials said. An investigation team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is assisting with the investigation into the cause of the explosion.

“It is still way too early to even speculate the cause of this tragic event,” Idaho State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl said. “Piecing together the events leading up to the explosion and fire could take several weeks. We must be methodical and thorough.”

“This is an evolving, time-consuming, and complex investigation. Collaboration and cooperation with everyone involved in this investigation is paramount. We ask for patience while we piece together the events leading up to incident,” Sandahl said.

The identities of the deceased have not been released at this time.

No further information is currently available.

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