Four people have been confirmed dead, and a fifth person is considered missing following an explosion in a house in western Pennsylvania that resulted in the destruction of three buildings and damage to at least 12 others, according to authorities.
Officials from Allegheny County stated that three individuals were transported to hospitals after the explosion, which occurred shortly before 10:30 AM in the Bloomfield neighborhood, roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh.
Three people were taken to regional hospitals; among them, one is in critical condition, while the other two received treatment and have been discharged.
Authorities mentioned that the condition of more than 20 firefighters was assessed; many of them were affected by heat exhaustion.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to provide additional details about the deceased victims.
Emergency officials suspended their operations on Saturday night due to weather conditions and concerns for the safety of investigators. Crews will resume work at the site on Sunday.
The county spokesperson, Mei Downs, indicated that emergency medics reported individuals were trapped under the debris following what seemed to be an explosion in one house, which subsequently led to fires in two others.
Downs further elucidated that teams from at least 18 fire departments worked to extinguish the flames with the help of water tankers from both Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation by Bloomfield, county law enforcement agencies, and the Fire Marshal’s Office. Additionally, the State Public Utility Commission and local utilities were present at the scene.
