No suspects were named in connection with the explosion in the Saddlebrook neighborhood that caused more than $6 million in damage. Oxendine said the homeowners, Brian and Deborah McDaniel, were cooperating in the investigation.
Oxendine said his office had evidence showing gas lines had been tampered with inside the home at 168 Saddle Mountain Drive.
“A person, or person unknown, was in that house and intentionally tampered with the gas lines,” said Oxendine. “We haven’t eliminated any (suspects).”
The tampering caused the house to fill up with natural gas. What sparked the ignition is still unknown, and Oxendine said that might never be determined.
He said it has not been determined when the tampering occurred and added that officials do not know how long it would have taken the three-story house to fill up with natural gas.
“We had engineers look at the evidence three and four times because we wanted to make sure we had all the facts before we told residents this was intentional,” Oxendine said.
Calhoun Mayor Jimmy Palmer said there was some relief that it wasn’t an accident because of the fears that it could happen in any home.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect, but Oxendine said he would like to see that amount increased.
Eight families were completely displaced in the April 15 explosion that severely damaged several other homes in and around the Saddlebrook neighborhood.
While some families are close to moving back into their homes, some families have yet to begin rebuilding.
The blast left no serious injuries, but Gordon County Emergency Management Director Richard Cooper said it was heard as far away as Carbondale and Plainville.
Oxendine encouraged anyone with any information to call the arson hotline at 1-800-282-5804.
“You may not have enough for a conviction, but you might have enough to point investigators in the right direction,” he said.
“It’s been a long process,” said Palmer. “We will just move forward from here with all of us working together.”
So, actually there were 3 separate investigations done. The gas company, Georgia Arson squad, and the insurance company.
And Clark...Epic Grammar FAIL!
As long as we're commenting on intelligence rather than for content in comments.....it's grammAr. Thank you. Have a nice day!
Here is the telephone number for the Floyd County School System: 706-234-1031. Call them and see if it's too late for you to enroll in a first grade grammer class.