Efforts to clear up the aftermath of a devastating home explosion that occurred in the Rustic Ridge community of Plum Borough are ongoing as of Monday. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that such incidents have happened in the area.
Similar occurrences were reported in April of last year and as far back as 2008. It is truly unfortunate to see the community affected by such devastating incidents repeatedly.
While the investigation is underway, read to know more about the incident!
Why Did the House in Plum Explode?
While the reason for the blast remains unknown as yet, the local fire marshal is currently investigating the cause of the explosion and has also taken up the task of re-examining the house explosion that took place in Plum last year.
Although, it has been verified by authorities that Rustic Ridge Estates is situated in close proximity to shallow oil and gas wells and has been constructed on top of abandoned mine land. While there are two functional vertical gas wells located within 1,000 feet of the home that exploded and a pipeline that runs behind the development, no evidence has been found to link any of these structures to the cause of the explosion.
It has been reported that a total of four individuals sustained injuries in the recent home explosion that occurred in Pennsylvania. Among those injured were two city employees who have been identified by Mayor Harry Schlegel as Heather Oravitz and Michael Thomas.
Currently, Oravitz’s husband is still receiving medical treatment for his injuries. In addition to the city employees, Father Casey Clontz and his son Keegan Clontz were also victims of the tragic incident, marking the third house explosion in Plum over the last 15 years.
A cul-de-sac in the Rustic Ridge Drive in Rustic Ridge Estates, where the explosion caused significant damage to three homes and several other buildings, is a county about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, officials said.
What Happened At the Explosion in Plum?
Emergency personnel were faced with a scene of significant devastation at 141 Rustic Ridge Dr. following a fire explosion that demolished three residences and caused harm to around twelve others. A number of fire departments dispatched water tankers to assist in the response efforts.
Official reports state that five individuals were injured as a result, with three of them transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Unfortunately, one of the individuals who sustained injuries remains in critical condition.
Approximately 60 firefighters were attended to for minor injuries and subsequently discharged, as reported by Steve Imbarlina, the assistant chief of fire and emergency medical services at Allegheny County Emergency Services.
A video recording captured the precise moment when the house erupted, resulting in a thunderous noise as flames, fumes, and rubble blanketed the surrounding vicinity.
Pennsylvania authorities stated the following:
“There were people trapped under debris and it appeared as if one house had exploded, and two others were engulfed in fire. Multiple other homes were damaged with windows blown out.”
While it remains unknown, the cause of the accident still baffles many. We hope that the investigation into the devastating incident gets an answer soon.
For the latest updates on it, make sure you stay tuned with Averagebeing.
