Table Of Content
- victims identified
- New details emerge in Pa. house explosion investigation: DEP
- Agencies continue to investigate last month's deadly blast on Rustic Ridge Drive that killed six people.
- Kevin Sebunia, 55
- Casey Clontz, 38
- 'This is a nightmare': Pennsylvania house explosion victims remembered by family, friends
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. Fifty-seven firefighters were treated for "minor issues" at the scene and released, Steve Imbarlina, assistant chief of fire/emergency medical services at Allegheny County Emergency Service, told reporters Sunday afternoon. The cause of the explosion is under investigation by Plum and county law enforcement and the county fire marshal’s office.
victims identified
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. The borough of Plum urged people to stay away from Rustic Ridge in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. The incident occurred in the borough of Plum, in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Video captured at the scene showed several homes on fire in the community of Rustic Ridge. One house appears to have exploded, with two others becoming engulfed in flames, according to Allegheny County spokesperson Amie Downs.
New details emerge in Pa. house explosion investigation: DEP
Plum Borough Police Chief Lanny Conley said three other people were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries. Two of those individuals have been released from the hospital while one remains in critical condition. Gas and electric service was shut off as a precaution, and officials said Sunday a plan was in place to begin restoring service with electric power expected to be returned to all but a few residences, officials said.
Agencies continue to investigate last month's deadly blast on Rustic Ridge Drive that killed six people.
Casey Clontz, 38, Keegan Clontz, 12, Heather Oravitz, 51, Kevin Sebunia, 55, and Michael Thomas, 57, all died Saturday. Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and the first lady were "praying for the families" affected and promised them that "as you rebuild, we will have your back." Officials are conducting follow-up interviews with some responders and witnesses, which is normal for such investigations, the fire marshal said. They continue to investigate the cause of the incident with further analysis of the interviews and physical evidence. “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 Public Utilities Commission says it’s monitoring these integrity tests. The PUC added that they’re investigating if public utility infrastructure or operations contributed to the cause and circumstances surrounding the explosion. Borough Manager Michael Thomas, 57, was also killed in the blast. He lived one home over, but he was next door inside the home that exploded at the time. His wife, who is a teacher at Butler Area School District, daughter and their dog were in their home. His wife was able to escape through a window and his daughter was able to run out with the dog.
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Pennsylvania house explosion: 5 dead in Plum; Video shows damage - USA TODAY
Pennsylvania house explosion: 5 dead in Plum; Video shows damage.
Posted: Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Recovery operations were halted on Saturday afternoon due to severe weather in the region. 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. 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 are three structures destroyed and at least a dozen more damaged in some way,” authorities said.
Officials continue to investigate the explosion that occurred just less than a month ago in Plum’s Rustic Ridge subdivision, the Fire Marshal’s Office said. Paul and Heather Oravitz, Kevin Sebunia, Mike Thomas and Casey and Keegan Clontz were killed in the explosion. "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.
5 dead after Pennsylvania house explosion - NBC News
5 dead after Pennsylvania house explosion.
Posted: Sun, 13 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
people, including a child, are dead after an explosion destroys 3 homes and damages 12 others
We will open our doors for healing and reflection, where memories can be shared and celebrated. It is our collective responsibility to ensure the emotional well-being of our students and families as we navigate this unimaginable tragedy. Heather Oravitz, 51, community development director for the borough, lived in the house that exploded and was killed, the Plum Borough mayor confirms. Her husband, Paul Oravitz, was in the hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries, sources tell Channel 11. The cause of the explosion and fire is under investigation, Steve Imbarlina, the assistant chief for Allegheny County emergency services, said. PLUM BOROUGH, PA — The Allegheny County Fire Marshal's Office has determined that the point of origin of last month's Rustic Ridge Drive house explosion that killed six people was the home itself.
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. After recovering and checking on his son, Kolankowski went outside and a woman told him another woman had been upstairs and a man was in the basement. The other woman later emerged covered in white ash, but the individual in the basement had not yet exited, he said. Emergency officials suspended operations Saturday night due to weather and concern for the safety of investigators.
Three people were taken to area hospitals, including one who was in critical condition and two who were treated and released. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office will provide additional information about the deceased victims, authorities said. State investigators are now searching for stray gas near the site of a home explosion in Plum, Allegheny County on Saturday, Aug. 12 that killed six people.
Crews were expected to resume working at the site on Sunday morning. “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.
The state public utilities commission and local utilities also were at the scene. Three homes on Rustic Ridge Drive were leveled by the explosion, and about a dozen others were damaged, county officials said at a news conference Saturday night. Lori and I are praying for the families affected by the house explosion in Plum today. ⁰⁰My Administration and @PEMAHQ are coordinating with and supporting county and local emergency responders.
They and four others in the house at the time — Michael Thomas, Kevin Sebunia, and father-and-son Casey and Keegan Clontz — were killed. The fire marshal's office continues to work with local officials regarding further remediation efforts to make the incident scene safe. “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. The DEP evaluated the coal seam near Plum, Pa. and noted no nearby shafts or drill/boreholes in the area of the explosion, concluding the chance of the gas issue coming from an abandoned mine is very low.
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