Two Killed in Blairsville Explosion

ATLANTA – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that two people were killed in a Union County explosion on Sunday morning, May 2nd. The blast occurred at 307 Pauline Lane in Blairsville. The 1,594-square-foot structure was approximately 26 years old and was entirely destroyed by the blast.

“Ralph Norris Wood, Jr., 78, and Peggy Wood, 77, were home at the time of the fire and tragically passed as a result,” said Commissioner King. “This unprecedented blast left several homes in the area damaged. Due to the severity of the explosion, it could be up to several weeks before the cause is determined.”

This explosion remains under active investigation at this time. Commissioner King’s Fire Investigations Division assisted the Union County Fire Department, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Union County Coroner. The victims’ bodies were transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab in Atlanta for autopsy.

This marks the 57th and 58th death from a Georgia fire in 2021.

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The mission of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner is to protect Georgia families by providing access to vital insurance products and safe buildings through fair regulation that creates economic opportunities for all Georgians.