Streets now open around deadly DeKalb County explosion

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Police have reopened the streets around a DeKalb County gas station where an explosion Friday afternoon killed a 51-year-old father of five.

Though traffic was flowing Saturday morning, investigators will be back to try to determine what caused the explosion that killed Larry Dobbs of Newnan and hurt another man.

Dobbs was working on fuel lines in a manhole at the time of the explosion that was so powerful it blew off the metal lids of about a dozen nearby manholes.

The incident happened just before 5 p.m. at a vacant BP gas station near the intersection of Hugh Howell Road and Mountain Industrial Boulevard in Tucker, according to Officer Mekka Parish with DeKalb police.

Dobbs was part of a crew that included one of his brothers, Alan, according to a sister, Patsy Hayes of Oneida, Tenn. The crew was working on converting fuel lines, and Larry Dobbs was the only one underground at the time of the blast, she said.

"He wasn't sure it was Larry at first," Hayes said Friday evening.

Larry Dobbs died instantly, according to police.

Capt. Eric Jackson with the DeKalb County fire department said a vapor line is believed to be the cause of the explosion. The incident is still under investigation.

"We really don't know what happened," Hayes said.

Another person was transported to a hospital with burns. Two other workers were not injured, Parish said. Local businesses were temporarily evacuated as fire crews worked to make sure the area was safe.

Larry Dobbs, one of seven children, had done this type of work all of his life, Hayes said. If it came to making repairs at a gas station, he had probably done it.

"I worried a lot," Hayes said.

About a year ago, her brother suffered a serious head injury following an auto accident. He required rehabilitation before he was able to return to work, Hayes said.

In addition to his children and siblings, Larry Hobbs is survived by his wife, Theresa Miceli.

"We're still in shock," Hayes said. "He was so loved by all and will be greatly missed."

- Marcus K. Garner and Rhonda Cook  contributed to this report