The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is closing its investigation of the July 5 death of 23-year-old Jason McCorkle almost one month after a pipeline explosion in Thomson.
"There's no indication that this was anything but an accident," said Gary Nicholson, the special agent in charge of the regional office. "Basically we were looking to see if there was any criminal nexus to it."
The pipeline explosion occurred after McDuffie County Commissioner Paul McCorkle struck the liquid propane pipeline with a bulldozer while working on his property.
He was able to escape with only freeze-type burn injuries from the cold, escaping gas, but his son Jason was near the pipeline when the gas ignited.
McDuffie County Coroner Rhusha Mack said he died of smoke, soot, superheated inhalation and other thermal injuries.
The home of McCorkle's other son, Jon, was destroyed in the fire that burned for 24 hours and damaged 10-15 acres.
Dixie Pipeline Company is also closing its investigation into the incident, according to spokesman Rick Rainey.
"We're kind of running through the data to make sure everything is correct, and then the report will be finalized and sent on to the next agency."
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will be reviewing the pipeline case and its final results are expected in the next two months, Rainey said.
Pipeline officials were determining whether safety pamphlets had been distributed to homeowners in the pipeline vicinity and whether a pipeline official had been notified of digging in the area, among other things.
Those planning on working near the pipeline are required to contact a One-Call Center 48 hours in advance for safety purposes.
The State Fire Marshall's Office also investigated the explosion and ruled it an accident, said Wayne Whitaker, a spokesman for Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John Oxendine.
Who, other than the GBI, thought it was anything but an accident?
You would think that someone in the investigating team would at least postulate what the likely ignition source was. Was Jason a smoker? Was it the hot water heater at the nearest residence? Was there a spark when Jason got out of his car?
Could the use of his cell phone ignited the gas? Any criminal nexus said Nicholson of the GBI?? After weeks our elite GBI determined it was an accident, well done!!
What were their reasons to think that it was anything other than an accident? Obviously the pipeline did not explode on it's own, but it was not an intentional act. It almost gives the insinuation that Mr. McCorkle was trying to sabotage the pipeline. Must have been a slow crime day in McDuffie county.
Almost a month to determine it was an accident? No wonder the all the government's are broke. I wonder how much of our taxpayer money was spent on this "investigation".
Inefficiency + Money Sucking Entity = Government
Little LambFriday, Jul. 30 8:32 AM You would think that someone in the investigating team would at least postulate what the likely ignition source was. Was Jason a smoker? Was it the hot water heater at the nearest residence? Was there a spark when Jason got out of his car?
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He was using a bulldozer. Did you even bother to read the article?
Remember, Baron, that it was the father who was driving the bulldozer and he got frostbite burns from the evaporating liquified propane. There was no ignition when the bulldozer struck the pipe. Only after the father got into his car and drove away from the site to phone for help did the son arrive at the site. The explosion happened after the son got there. I'm just asking whether it was likely that the son did something to ignite the propane?
In any case, the bulldozer striking the pipe did not ignite the gas.
I agree with Little Lamb, what ignited the gas. I understand the son was there and that the father tried to call him after he had left the scene, thinking the son was not there and maybe on his way back home, to warn him about the gas. Could the cell phone have caused the ignition of the gas, there use to be a warning on the gas pumps about not using a cell phone while pumping gas. I would think part of the GBI's investigation would have covered what ignited the gas.
If we knew what your post said, we might be able to figure it out!
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