Witnesses said a fatal explosion at a home in White County Friday morning could be felt and heard for miles.
"It was felt all the way to Clarkesville. My daughter lives just outside the city limits and heard and felt the boom. All of her neighbors came out on their porches because they heard and felt it too," Wesley Gibson said in an email to AccessWDUN.
A man died in the blast, according to Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens. The victim's name has not been released, pending notification of his family.
White County Coroner Ricky Barrett said the body will be taken to the state crime laboratory for positive identification. The victim, said to be about 70 years old, was a relative of the homeowners who were in California at the time, according to White County Public Safety Director David Murphy.
The explosion leveled the home on Rhododendron Lane in the Mount Yonah Scenic Estates neighborhood. Authorities were notified of the explosion at 10:48 a.m.
"The foundation is there, and the rest of it is just strewn up through the woods and into the trees," White County Sheriff Neal Walden said.
Murphy said a company had apparently delivered gas to the home on Tuesday and that it appeared there had been a slow leak.
"It appears a propane leak inside the residence caused the explosion," Murphy said.
The number of other nearby homes damaged by the blast had risen to seven by late Friday afternoon. Murphy said one homeowner had requested assistance from the American Red Cross for a place to stay because of the damage to their home. The explosion also blew the tops off of several trees.
The response to the mid-morning incident involved units from White County fire stations, Helen Fire Department and Georgia Forestry Commission crews, who plowed a fire break around the area. The explosion caused several small fires in a four-acre area around the house.
Investigators and fire personnel planned to remain on the scene into Friday evening, investigating and putting out hot spots.
WRWH's Dean Dyer contributed to this story.
