WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Two dead in Orangeburg Co. explosion

Two dead in Orangeburg Co. explosion

NORWAY, SC (WIS) - Two people have died after an explosion near the Orangeburg County town of Norway Monday night.

Gene Ball, Director of Fire Services for Orangeburg County, says the explosion occurred at around 8:50pm at Rutland's Timber and Trucking on Osprey Road near Norway.

Norway Fire Chief Billy Morton says the three men were trying to refuel the truck from a 500 gallon above ground tank when the explosion occurred.

Chief Morton, whose home is a mile away from the scene, said the explosion was so powerful that his house shook, and sounded like an artillery shell going off.

Orangeburg County Coroner Samuetta Marshall says 28-year-old Brian Rutland was killed at the scene and 38-year-old Mickey Williams later died at the Orangeburg Regional Medical Center.

The third person involved had burns on his hands according to a witness, but those injuries were believed to be non-life-threatening.

Rutland's uncle, Jerry Hallman, called his death a "great loss to us all."

"Brian was well-liked by a lot of folks. And he was an energetic young guy and had a lot to look forward to. So it's hard on everybody," said Hallman.

Adding to the tragic nature of this incident, Hallman says Brian Rutland had gotten married just a few months ago and had a three-year-old at home.

"From what I understand, they're just trying to find out exactly why the tank exploded. They don't expect any foul play or anything. They're just trying to get answers," said Ehrhardt Police Chief Jim Preacher, a friend of the Rutland family.

Among the questions investigators are asking is what kind of fuel was in the truck.

"That's something that, you know, has been rumored that there might have been some gas mixed with the diesel fuel by accident," says Preacher.

Meanwhile, loved ones mourn.

Well naturally they're all grieving and very upset," Jerry Hallman said about the victims' families. "They just don't understand why this happened."

Chief Morton says OSHA is now involved in the investigation as well.

An autopsy will be done Tuesday morning on both men. Marshall says they won't have the results back until late Tuesday afternoon.

Reported by Jack Kuenzie

Updated by Logan Smith