Men who died in Cardiff fire identified by coroner

Wesley James Lineberry and Brandon Luther Cook were identified as the men who died last week in the Cardiff gas station explosion and fire, according to Clearwater County Coroner Dennis Fuller on Tuesday.

Lineberry, 62, of Pierce, and Cook, 53, of Orofino, both died of blunt force trauma and their bodies were burned. 

“It was just horrific,” Fuller said. 

The explosion at the Atkinson Distributing station in Cardiff was reported just after 3 p.m. Sept. 11, the Clearwater County Sheriff’s office said in a news release. 

Lineberry and Cook were found dead Thursday and were turned over to the Clearwater County Coroner’s Office, according to a news release from the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office. 

The cause of the incident is still unknown. 

Fuller said this was not the typical call he gets as Clearwater County coroner. 

Although the victims were positively identified, it took longer, Fuller said, and he didn’t want to release information until he was “100% sure.” Although since the incident occurred in a small community, “everybody already knew who they were,” Fuller said. 

Outside of Clearwater County, the fire and explosion has been receiving national attention. Fuller said he’s gotten calls from the East Coast about the incident. 

Two other people were injured in the fire. Roxann Hubbs, who works as a sales clerk for Atkinson Distributing, and Donny Billeter, who drives a fuel tank and was offloading at the gas station, are both recovering in a Seattle hospital.

According to UW Medicine, Hubbs is in serious condition in the ICU and Billeter is in satisfactory conduction. 

GoFundMe accounts have been set up for Hubbs at bit.ly/3XN8yhQ and Billeter at bit.ly/4eu0fx7.