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“The findings suggest that concentrations of gas detected on Aug. 14 came from (a) single inundation event, likely the explosion itself,” the DEP’s statement said. Gas samples were collected for isotopic analysis from five of those locations, including the area around a leaking gas pipeline, gas in the soil near a Peoples meter and under the foundation of the home. The home at 141 Rustic Ridge was owned by Paul and Heather Oravitz, and all six victims were inside that home when it exploded. If inspectors find sufficient levels of combustible gas, such as methane, soil samples will be taken for later analysis in a laboratory.
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State officials had previously ruled out natural gas from an abandoned underground mine as a cause. Authorities have also said the home’s owners had been having problems with their hot water tank. "It's just tragic, I mean, it looks like a war zone — it looks like a bomb hit our neighborhood and it's just unfortunate," Kolankowski said. "I was just with some of the neighbors yesterday, right, and now this happens." In all, 57 firefighters were treated on scene for minor issues — many of them for heat exhaustion.
House explosion Crescent Township: 2 dead after apparent house explosion today in 1400 block of Riverview Road, PA authorities say - WPVI-TV
House explosion Crescent Township: 2 dead after apparent house explosion today in 1400 block of Riverview Road, PA authorities say.
Posted: Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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Casey Clontz, 38, Keegan Clontz, 12, Heather Oravitz, 51, Kevin Sebunia, 55, and Michael Thomas, 57, all died Saturday. "The road ahead for the family is and will continue to be long and hard," the post reads. Sebunia is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a grandson, among others. She said Paul, 56, and Heather, 51, were "very devoted, very family-focused, dependable and kind."

Pennsylvania house explosion victims named; county says house had ‘hot water tank issues’
Imbarlina warned that the investigation would be a “slow and long process” that would include a lot of forensic testing and could last “months if not years”. Tomer told reporters that there were "natural gas on site from a private well" and propane from a private well. The cause of the explosion is under investigation by Plum and county law enforcement agencies and the county fire marshal’s office. The state Public Utility Commission and local utilities also were at the scene. A company spokesperson said Wednesday that it had completed additional system testing with the Fire Marshal’s office and the state Public Utility Commission, meaning it can now begin restoring gas service.
"BGE came around and was probing all the areas and all the houses and then they didn't find anything, they said," Michael told WJZ. Two people were hospitalized, Keller said, with one in critical condition and another undergoing surgery. Officials say 19 people lost their homes to the fire, but no one was seriously injured. We’ve reached out to the DEP to ask if it was aware of the private well on Riverview Road before Tuesday morning’s explosion. Officials said at least two other homes nearby were damaged in the blast.
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2 killed in Pittsburgh-area house explosion, report says - The National Desk
2 killed in Pittsburgh-area house explosion, report says.
Posted: Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro tweeted that he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the victims, adding that his office was working with state emergency management officials to assist local emergency responders. First responders found people trapped under debris and two homes "engulfed in fire," in addition to one that appeared to have exploded and multiple others with the windows blown out, according to the post. The blast destroyed three homes and damaged at least a dozen others, officials said. Channel 11 received reports that homes several miles away were damaged and people from around the area said they felt the explosion. CRESCENT TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man and woman were killed in a house explosion in Crescent Township, Allegheny County Tuesday morning.
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“Lori and I are praying for family, friends, and neighbors who lost someone in Plum yesterday, and we’re grateful for the first responders who ran towards danger to save lives. The five Pennsylvanians who passed and their families are in our thoughts today. Casey and Keegan, who lived on nearby Brookside Drive, were at the house at 141 Rustic Ridge Drive when it exploded, the family told the Trib. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, the office said, and there is no time frame for when the probe will be completed. The investigation at the scene of the explosion has been completed and the property is being returned to its owners, the agency said in a release.
Among those killed were a proud father who gave his daughter away at her wedding last month, a super involved hockey mom and dad who never missed a game, and a 12-year-old boy described as a "1,000% momma's boy." Pottstown is a borough of around 23,400 around 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Four adults and one adolescent were also recovered from the debris, officials said. Residents of the area where the explosion happened described a chaotic aftermath. The first unit arrived a few minutes after the call to find the home "completely leveled by some type of explosion," Crescent Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Andrew Tomer said at a news briefing.
The cause is under investigation, though the homeowners had been having problems with their hot water tank, officials said Monday. As investigators try to figure out what caused a house explosion in Pennsylvania that killed six people, their loved ones are reeling from the unimaginable loss. Four children are among five people killed in a house explosion in Pennsylvania Thursday night, officials said. The cause of the explosion and fire is under investigation, Steve Imbarlina, the assistant chief for Allegheny County emergency services, said.
One house appears to have exploded, with two others becoming engulfed in flames, according to Allegheny County spokesperson Amie Downs. It is unclear what caused the explosion, and the investigation is expected to be "slow and long," officials said. A representative from the gas company said pressure and smell checks done in the area indicate that the "system was operating as designed" at the time of the explosion. The Allegheny County medical examiner's office will identify them, the Facebook post said. The development is on abandoned mine land surrounded by shallow oil and gas wells, some of which have been abandoned.
Residents of the neighborhood are seeking answers about the deadly blast. The president of Peoples Gas said his crews got to the neighborhood within 15 minutes of the blast. It was unclear what they were doing there, though the family said Casey was very friendly with the neighbors. The cause of the blast is under investigation, with Allegheny County officials saying it could take months. The house on Rustic Ridge Drive in Plum Borough is seen in doorbell camera footage, obtained by WTAE, exploding in a giant fireball Saturday. Two other people had also been hospitalized in stable condition after the blast.
Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as it conducts its investigation. “Because they would do it for us, that’s the kind of family they are, they are amazing so to just give anything back,” said Harrison. The cause and manner of the victims’ deaths are still pending, and there is no time frame for when those determinations will be made.
“I am in constant communication with Governor Shapiro, who has expressed his unwavering support for the Plum community and for the use of all available investigative measures. At the Governor’s request, an extensive amount of testing has been completed. Over the next few days additional testing will be conducted and shared with the public appropriately,” added Negrin. According to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, Paul Oravitz died Wednesday. His wife was able to escape through a window and his daughter was able to run out with the dog. Michael Thomas, 57, also was a neighbor of the Oravitz family who was in the house when it exploded.