CARDIFF, Idaho — Officials in Clearwater County have confirmed the identities of those injured and killed in last week’s gas station explosion in Cardiff, Idaho.
The driver of the tanker truck was identified as Donny Billeter. Billeter was taken by air ambulance to a burn center in Seattle following the explosion. The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with monthly bills and medical expenses. Billeter is currently out of the ICU and in satisfactory condition
The gas station attendant was identified as Roxann Hubbs. She was an employee of Atkinson Distributing which operated the gas station and the tanker. According to a GoFundMe, Roxann was severely burned and all money raised will go towards travel costs, medical care and loss of wages. Hubbs still remains in the ICU.
The two people who died in the explosion were identified as 53-year-old Brandon L. Cook from Orofino and 62-year-old Wesley J. Lineberry from Pierce. The bodies of Cook and Lineberry were recovered a day after the explosion, and their autopsies were performed in Spokane. The Clearwater County Coroner confirmed that the two men died due to blunt force trauma from the explosion.
The explosion at the gas station in Cardiff happened as a tanker was offloading fuel on September 11. The Cardiff gas station is staffed during the logging season, according to the company's website, and it includes a small convenience store with snacks and drinks.
Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl says the cause of the explosion is still under investigation and could take several weeks to figure out.