FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A massive propane explosion leveled a South Fulton County home, killing one man and rocking entire neighborhoods for miles Tuesday night.
Channel 2's Tom Jones was at the scene on Cochran Mill Road and Cedar Grove Road in Chattahoochee Hills, where all that was left of the home Wednesday was rubble and a vast field of debris.
The fire marshal said the explosion was likely caused by vapors from a leaking propane tank, but it will be a while before they can officially pinpoint the cause.
The homeowner's body was found in the debris.
The medical examiner identified him as 83-year-old Charles Miller. He was the only person inside the house.
The blast was so strong it shattered neighbors' windows and set nearby trees on fire.
Jones talked to a neighbor, who said the explosion felt "like a megaton bomb" and picked him up out of his seat.
Another said he thought a plane had crashed.
In a sad coincidence, Chattahoochee Hills Fire Chief Greg Brett, who was the first to arrive at the scene, said he was good friends with Miller.
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On Wednesday, Brett was remembering his friend.
"He was visible in the community. He was an excellent chef, not just a cook," Brett said.
Neighbors said they knew Miller well and that he was well-liked.
State Fire Marshal Jeff Hogan said it's one of the worst gas explosions he has ever seen.
"An 'arc,' or spark or flame, could have set that off," Hogan said.
State fire marshals continued to sift through debris and take pictures Wednesday evening.
Residents as far away as Douglasville reached out to Channel 2 on social media, saying they heard the loud boom. Some thought it was an earthquake.
Mayor William "Bill" Edwards, of the City of South Fulton, released a statement on Facebook saying he sent fire support to Chattahoochee Hills.
Cox Media Group
