One man hospitalised after massive explosion destroys home

13 December 2023 , 20:03

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The house was completely destroyed by the explosion (Image: Action 4 News)

A man who miraculously survived an explosion that completely destroyed a house is recovering in hospital from serious burns.

The victim, who has not been identified, suffered horrific burns on his hands after the blast at a guest house in Pennsylvania after a technician attempted to ignite the pilot light on a furnace in the basement. A plumber with a heating and cooling company was the only person inside the house at the time of the explosion, according to local reports.

Firefighters on the scene at the property in Sewickley Heights, said a gas leak may have caused the tragedy. The homeowner, who was not injured by the explosion, said she was out and her husband was napping in the main house, which was not damaged by the blast.

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Onlookers said that it was a 'miracle' that a man survived the blast (Action 4 News)

According to the Daily Mail, the blast was so strong it shook homes in the area, with some miles away also feeling the tremors. Rich Engler, a neighbour living at least 15 acres away, reported that the shockwave knocked items off his shelves and shattered glass upon impact. He said: "I go, ''Oh my, it's the Tippins' property',' and that's where we bolted up there." He called 911 immediately and said he saw a man on the ground yelling for help when he ran to the scene.

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Fire crews from Allegheny County rushed to the house on Backbone Road at around 5.30pm on Tuesday following the reports of the explosion and Engler added: "As I got up there, I started shouting, 'Is anybody around, is anybody around, can we help?' And I hear a faint, faint voice saying, 'Help me, help me'. I ran back to look at him and he was in total shock. I couldn't even believe somebody made it out of that explosion alive and I could see his hands were really burnt up."

Twisted rubble was all that was left of the house (Action 4 News)

Witnesses described it as a "miracle" that he survived the blast, and the person suffered severe burns to his hands and was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his condition is not known, and Engler added: "There is nothing left of the house, zero. I mean, it is gone."

Will BoJalad of Sewickley Heights, said the blast "sounded like a bomb". "I felt a sudden explosion and then maybe two seconds after that it felt like a less quiet vibration," he said. Columbia Gas, the utility company responsible for the gas supply in the area, said its employees were not working in the area when the explosion happened but have turned off the gas service to the house as a precaution.

An aerial view of the carnage (Action 4 News)

In a statement, it said: "No other customers in the area were impacted by this incident. Columbia Gas had no technicians working at that residence, nor were any crews working in the Sewickley Heights area today. It does not appear that any Columbia Gas distribution facilities were involved, and Columbia Gas continues to work with local fire and police first responders to investigate the cause of the explosion."

Paul Donald