August Explosion Ruled Accidental

The August Explosion that killed two Polk County men has been ruled accidental.

The explosion in a workshop on the 100 block of Youngs Farm Road killed Jems Thomas Sharp (resident), age 33 and 18 year old Charles Franklin Wells Jr..

While the Polk County Police Department remained the lead law enforcement agency on the case, the State Fire Marshall was called in to assist with the investigation.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined, but traces of gasoline were found on the clothing of the deceased. No one else was involved so no charges will be filed.

In addition, the reason the men were in the bulding, which belonged to the landowner, still remains unclear to police.

According to fire officials, the explosion was so massive that it left a debri field 100-feet-wide.

The building was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene, and the men’s bodies were found afterwards.