During the weekend, a tragic house explosion in Plum, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, claimed the lives of five individuals, including a 38-year-old man and his 12-year-old son.
The incident occurred on August 12th and also resulted in injuries to three others, with one person in critical condition.
The blast devastated not only the house but also three other neighboring structures, while roughly a dozen others sustained damage.
As investigators diligently work to ascertain the cause of this catastrophic explosion, the community remains in shock.
Reports from Allegheny County officials in Pennsylvania reveal that an urgent emergency 911 call was received around 10:30 AM (15:30 BST) on Saturday. Rapid response from both police and firefighters ensued, and upon arrival, it was discovered that individuals were trapped beneath the debris.
“It appeared as if one house had exploded, and two others were engulfed in fire. Multiple other homes were damaged with windows blown out,” they said in a Facebook post.
Video footage captured by a doorbell camera, the authenticity of which the BBC has not independently confirmed, depicts a substantial explosion propelling smoke and debris high into the sky over the neighborhood.
Subsequently, five bodies were retrieved from the location.
Authorities are grappling with uncertainty regarding the occupants of the house and any potential visitors in the vicinity during the incident. This lack of clarity is posing challenges in the process of identifying the deceased individuals.
“ID is expected to take some time as it will involve use of dental records, and potentially DNA, for formal identification,” Allegheny County said on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter.
Although authorities have refrained from disclosing the identities of the victims, relatives have come forward to identify two of the deceased. Casey Clontz, aged 38, and his 12-year-old son, Keegan, have been confirmed as among the five individuals tragically lost in the explosion.
The Clontz family resided four houses away from the explosion’s epicenter. While the reasons for their presence at the location remain unclear, family members shared with the local news outlet TribLive that the two were likely visiting nearby neighbors.
In a statement provided by the Clontz family, Keegan was described as Casey’s inseparable companion, often accompanying his father on fishing and hunting expeditions.
Although authorities have refrained from disclosing the identities of the victims, relatives have come forward to identify two of the deceased. Casey Clontz, aged 38, and his 12-year-old son, Keegan, have been confirmed as among the five individuals tragically lost in the explosion.
The Clontz family resided four houses away from the explosion’s epicenter. While the reasons for their presence at the location remain unclear, family members shared with the local news outlet TribLive that the two were likely visiting nearby neighbors.
In a statement provided by the Clontz family, Keegan was described as Casey’s inseparable companion, often accompanying his father on fishing and hunting expeditions.
Keegan, an active participant in a youth football program, was poised to commence junior high school in a mere week.
Casey, who had been married to his wife Jen for 14 years, also left behind a 10-year-old daughter named Addie.
Simultaneously, an online fundraiser has been established for the Oravitz family, proprietors of the property where the explosion transpired. It remains unclear whether any family members were among the casualties.
The formidable fire required the combined efforts of no less than 18 local fire departments to quell. Over 50 firefighters were attended to at the scene for minor ailments, primarily stemming from heat exhaustion.
Inquiries into the explosion’s cause are being led jointly by local law enforcement, fire officials, representatives from the local utility company, and the state public utilities commission.
Officials informed CBS, the BBC’s partner in the United States, that the investigation is anticipated to be a gradual and protracted process. It might potentially span several months or even years before reaching a conclusion.
Rafal Kolankowski, a resident, recounted to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the blast shattered windows within his home and caused both him and his wife to fall. He expressed the profound tragedy that has struck the neighborhood, likening it to a war-torn zone. The sudden and dramatic change from his interactions with neighbors the day before to the devastating incident is deeply disheartening, as he shared, “I was just with some of the neighbors yesterday, right, and now this happens.”