An explosion destroyed a coffee shop and seriously injured three people in South Georgia Friday, authorities confirmed.
Investigators determined a nearby construction crew installing fiber optic cable ruptured an underground gas line, causing natural gas to leak into a sewer line connected to the coffee shop, Glenn Allen, Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens, told the Associated Press.
“Inside the shop, gas built up in the kitchen area, and there was a spark, resulting in the explosion,” Allen said.
Two employees at Coffee Corner and a customer were the only people inside the building when it exploded, and they were flown to a hospital in Gainesville, Fla., the AP reported. They suffered “burns and other serious injuries,” Allen said.
Homerville is located in Clinch County, which is about 30 miles north of the Georgia-Florida line.
The City of Homerville previously posted on Facebook that residents should avoid the downtown area because of the explosion and investigation. Saturday morning, the city posted that the downtown area and all roads have been reopened.
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