House Explosion In Tyrone, Pennsylvania Leaves One Dead And Five Injured

 

CREDIT: wpsu.psu.edu

An explosion that was caused by a gas leak in a house in Tyrone, Pennsylvania has left one dead and five injured.

The explosion not only levelled a house but caused a fire that destroyed a second and damaged a third. This led to evacuations by firefighters as they battled the heavy blaze.

The Blair County Coroner's Office confirmed the one death.

The gas lead and explosion are result of an ongoing water line replacement project.

Around 175 firefighters were working to control the fire on the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. 

The gas leak protruded into sewer lines which resulted in an evacuation of a four-square block area, and the creation of an evacuation centre at Church of the Good Shepherd, as well as one in Tyrone Area High School.

A People's Natural Gas Co. employee, three residents and a bystander to a hospital, two of which were flown to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the treatment of burns.

There has been no detail about the unaccounted-for person, but demolition workers began working on removing rubble and debris once evacuation and fire were under control.

Francesco D'Ottavio, the owner of the restaurant next door, heard of the gas leak where he then went outside to see a gas company employee, an open ditch and gas rising from inside the ditch.

"I said, 'Is this going to blow up?' and the gas company employee said that a crew was coming." He sat back down inside his restaurant "when all of a sudden, poof!"

His building started shaking and "I saw stuff flying."

The gas company employee emerged from his truck, disoriented and skin burned, while D'Ottavia heard a woman screaming for help.

He called 911 for help, but they already knew about the situation.

Many people started helping where they could, putting out small flames near them with fire extinguishers.

Within three to five minutes to house fire started.

The waterline project is worth about $5 million and started in September. 

The cause of the leak is still under investigation.

The first fire truck arrived at the scene seven minutes after the dispatch call.