Press Release from Idaho Department of Insurance
BOISE, Idaho – Investigators from the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office continue to sift through the debris of the fire and explosion that occurred in Cardiff on Wednesday afternoon. 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. They will be making positive identification and notification to family. 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 distributed around the scene from the explosion has proven to be an additional obstacle for investigators. The Region II Hazard Materials Response Team was called and assisted with the control of this hazard. An investigation team from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will assist with the overall investigation into the cause of the explosion and fire.
“It is still way too early to even speculate the cause of this tragic event,” said Idaho State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl. “Piecing together the events leading up to the explosion and fire could take several weeks. We must be methodical and thorough.”
The State Fire Marshal is grateful for the assistance received by the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Transportation Department, ATF, Region II Haz Mat Team, OSHA and the NTSB. “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,” said Sandahl.
