A gas line ruptured by a nearby construction crew caused the August 18 explosion at the Coffee Corner in Homerville, Georgia that seriously injured three people, investigators have determined. Baylee Tolle, Emily Tolle and Anna O’Guin were inside the coffee shop when the blast occurred around 12:15. All three suffered severe burns and other explosion injuries and were airlifted to UF Health Shands Burn Center in Gainesville, Florida.
Homerville is a small community in Clinch County located about 30 miles north of the Florida-Georgia line. A work crew was installing fiber optic cable in the neighborhood and struck a gas line. Natural gas then leaked into a sewer line connected to the coffee shop where it built up and was ignited by a spark.
The three young women were the only people in the coffee shop when the explosion occurred. Baylee Tolle and Anna O’ Guin are employees, Baylee’s sister Emily was eating lunch there. All three of them sustained second and third-degree burns to their faces, arms, legs and feet, according to a social media posting which described their road to recovery as “long and painful.”
The explosion attorneys at Pritzker Hageman understand that road. One of their clients, who was burned over 70 percent of his body and went through 20 surgeries said the help received from Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman, who have won over $70 million for their explosion clients, was incredible.
“No one should have to experience the pain and loss and explosion can cause,” said Pritzker, founding partner of the national law firm which helps people get the care and compensation they need. Compensation can include the cost of medical care, lost wages pain and suffering and more.
To contact Fred and Eric for a free consultation about your explosion injuries, call toll-free at 1 (800) 377-8900 or use this online contact form. There is no obligation.
