Explosion at an Idaho gas station leaves two critically injured and others presumed dead

Rebecca Boone, Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Officials opportunity 2 group were severely burned and 2 others are believed to beryllium dormant aft an detonation and occurrence destroyed a state position successful a mini north-central Idaho municipality Wednesday afternoon.

The detonation astatine nan Atkinson Distributing position successful Cardiff was reported conscionable aft 3 p.m., nan Clearwater County Sheriff’s agency said successful a news release, and 2 group pinch terrible burns were flown by aerial ambulance to a infirmary successful a adjacent city. More group were believed to beryllium wrong nan building, nan sheriff’s agency said, but nan occurrence was still burning precocious that nighttime and nary further specifications were released.

Another 2 group were besides taken to area hospitals, said Idaho State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl connected Thursday, but nan quality of their injuries was not known.

“It’s a beautiful devastating incident. I judge location person been structures destroyed too nan state station, and location is simply a beautiful ample debris field,” that covers an area astir nan size of 2 metropolis blocks, Sandahl said.

Jeff Adams, a head pinch Atkinson Distributing, said Thursday that nan group who were flown to a infirmary pain halfway successful Seattle are Atkinson employees. Both were successful captious condition, he said.

“Evidentially location were a mates of customers successful nan shop that did not get out,” Adams said. “We’d for illustration to widen our prayers to everybody, and convey nan first responders and everybody who turned retired to effort to help. We very overmuch admit it.”

A substance tanker was offloading substance astatine nan position erstwhile nan detonation occurred, Adams said, but it wasn’t yet known what caused nan explosion.

“We’re conscionable for illustration everybody other — we’re waiting astir trying to get information,” Adams said. “When we went up location past night, they wouldn’t fto america get anyplace adjacent it.”

Sandahl said 2 of his lawman occurrence marshals are astatine nan position to investigate, and they are being assisted by a typical supplier from nan U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The distant upland municipality does not person compartment service, and Sandahl did not yet person immoderate specifications astir nan explosion.

“Unfortunately nan travel of accusation is benignant of difficult without immoderate compartment service,” Sandahl said. “They’re still sifting done nan debris.”

The Cardiff state position is only staffed during nan logging season, according to nan company’s website, and it includes a mini convenience shop pinch snacks and drinks.