New details emerge in Pa house explosion investigation: DEP

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• guns, ammunition found concealed in briefcase at Pittsburgh International Airport, police say
• ABC News Live
• New details emerge in Pa. house explosion investigation: DEP
• people, including a child, are dead after an explosion destroys 3 homes and damages 12 others in Pennsylvania
• dead after Pennsylvania house explosion

They and four others in the house at the time — Michael Thomas, Kevin Sebunia, and father-and-son Casey and Keegan Clontz — were killed. Officials told reporters at the scene they did not know exactly who was at home and who may have had visitors at the time of the explosion, so they could not provide an exact number of people considered missing. The homeowners, Heather and Paul Oravitz, were the only members of their family known to be inside at the time of the explosion. "This is certainly a sad, sad day and a sad time, for not just the folks in Plum but all the folks in the community and in this region," said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Plum house explosion: Video from Sky 4 - Pittsburgh - WTAE Pittsburgh

Plum house explosion: Video from Sky 4 - Pittsburgh.

Posted: Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

guns, ammunition found concealed in briefcase at Pittsburgh International Airport, police say

“This is certainly a sad, sad day and a sad time, for not just the folks in Plum but all the folks in the community and in this region,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said, AP reported. Crews from at least 18 fire departments worked to douse the flames with the help of water tankers from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, Downs said. Tribune Live reported that neighbors attending a vigil for the victims on Tuesday described the corner where the house once stood as a "fraternity row" because everyone was friends and always spending time together. George Emanuele, who lives three houses down from the home that exploded, said he and a neighbor went to the home after the explosion and dragged a man laying in the backyard away from the scene, he told the Tribune-Review.

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Crews were expected to resume working at the site on Sunday morning. "The road ahead for the family is and will continue to be long and hard," the post reads. A GoFundMe started for the family says that "they are just beginning to navigate this horrible tragedy." Sebunia is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a grandson, among others.

New details emerge in Pa. house explosion investigation: DEP

“This is certainly a sad, sad day and a sad time, for not just the folks in Plum but all the folks in the community and in this region,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said, per the AP. Three people were taken to area hospitals, including one who was in critical condition and two who were treated and released. Officials were back at the scene Sunday morning, and a news conference was scheduled for noon, the Facebook post said. Two were stable when they were transported and were released, and the third was in critical condition, they said.

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Both were rushed to the hospital, but they’re now physically okay. 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. The development is on abandoned mine land surrounded by shallow oil and gas wells, some of which have been abandoned. PLUM, Pa. — Six people were killed in the house explosion in Plum on Saturday.

Sixth person dies from injuries suffered in Pennsylvania house explosion

“Keegan and Casey will be missed by so many and will continue to be loved by so many, including their family, friends and community,” the family said in a statement to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The borough says that the doors will open for healing and reflection where memories can also be shared and celebrated. There also was another explosion in 1996 where natural gas was determined to be the cause. "Police and other borough staff have had to respond to ask that individuals leave the area. We again reiterate – If you do not live in the area and do not have any reason to be there, please stay away from the area," the county said. Neighbors said they smelled gas Tuesday and called the gas company, which confirmed the leaks.

people, including a child, are dead after an explosion destroys 3 homes and damages 12 others in Pennsylvania

Crack found in gas line on property near Plum house explosion - WPXI Pittsburgh

Crack found in gas line on property near Plum house explosion.

Posted: Tue, 22 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

It is with great sorrow that I write about the devastating incident that occurred in our Rustic Ridge neighborhood. The house explosion resulted in the tragic loss of life felt across our community. On behalf of the entire school district, I want to express my deepest sympathies and offer support to our school community affected by this tragedy. The explosion in Plum, about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh, was so powerful that it all but leveled the home and started multiple fires at nearby houses.

Five people were recovered from the scene, including one child, after the explosion. 57 firefighters were treated at the scene due to “minor issues.” They were treated at the scene and then went back to work. Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. The property at 141 Rustic Ridge will be turned over to the property owners and representatives.

people, including a child, are dead after an explosion destroys 3 homes and damages 12 others

After he recovered and checked on his son, Kolankowski went outside, where a woman told him that another woman had been upstairs and that a man was in the basement. The other woman emerged later covered in white ash, but the person in the basement hadn’t yet exited, he said. The 12-year-old boy was a member of the Plum Mustangs youth football program, and on Wednesday during practice, his No. 40 jersey was placed on the goalpost and his initials covered the 40-yard line. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the explosion in 2008 was caused after a 2-inch gas line was hit in 2003. Investigators determined that it eventually failed after it corroded.

According to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, Paul Oravitz died Wednesday. Both were rushed to the hospital, but they’re now physically OK. Keegan Clontz, 12, was the youngest person killed in the explosion. He was a student in the Plum School District and loved to play football. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. If inspectors find sufficient levels of combustible gas, such as methane, soil samples will be taken for later analysis in a laboratory.

Casey Clontz, 38, Keegan Clontz, 12, Heather Oravitz, 51, Kevin Sebunia, 55, and Michael Thomas, 57, all died Saturday. As of Saturday night, crews and investigators paused efforts, citing weather and "safety concerns," and said they plan to resume Sunday, Aug. 13.

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. Several homes were destroyed when the explosion occurred Saturday morning in Allegheny County, officials told reporters during a press conference on Sunday afternoon. A sixth person has died days after a house exploded in Pennsylvania, officials said.

There is also a pipeline that runs behind the housing development, but none of these have been identified as the cause of the blast. The Allegheny County District Attorney told Channel 11 News on Thursday that officials currently consider the deadly explosion in Plum Borough to be accidental. My son was just there a couple of days before playing with Keegan so it’s heartbreaking,” said Brock Harrison, Carl’s Tavern manager. The Department of Environmental Protection announced Friday that its investigators have completed an analysis of preliminary test results from its stray gas investigation. That house and two others were so badly damaged they must be demolished, and 10 others were not safe for residents in the weeks after the Aug. 12 blast about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh.