Plum residents have some answers 1 year after deadly house explosion that killed 6
PLUM, Pa. (KDKA) — Nearly one year after the heartbreaking home explosion in Plum, people who live in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood have some answers.
A resident shared what the last year has been like for her and her neighbors as they still wait for an official cause.
"It's one of those things where you go through a traumatic event, we were home, I'll never forget it," said Dana Wood.
On Aug. 12, 2023, Wood and her family were in their home when a neighbor's house down the street exploded.
"I thought somebody ran into my house with their car. The best way I can describe it was like 9/11, like all of the debris which was coming down on us in our yard," she said.
Six people were killed that day and three homes were destroyed. Many others were damaged, including Wood's home which sustained about $30,000 worth of damage.
As the investigation into the official cause is ongoing, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission completed its investigation this week. PUC's Safety Division found no evidence linking Peoples Natural Gas service lines to the cause of the explosion and fire.
"Us in the community kind of suspected that, but to hear it publicly was a sigh of relief. I'm a real estate agent, and I have clients that, you know, our neighborhood's really popular, and they look to move here, and it makes me feel at ease," Wood said.
The PUC's investigation was limited to piping outside the homes. Its spokesperson told KDKA-TV, "The PUC's jurisdiction involves the public utility systems located outside homes and businesses, and the safety division found no evidence linking those public utility assets to the cause of the rustic ridge explosion. What happened inside that fateful day is something other investigators are still examining."
Wood said their hearts still hurt and worries still linger.
"I don't think that there's anything that anybody could say to me to make me feel 100 percent confident in anything because anything can happen at a moment's notice. But I do feel a lot calmer about things now," she said.
She's thankful to Peoples Gas for being cooperative, including conducting inspections inside and outside homes, and even quickly responding to concerns.
"I feel like we're safer than we've ever been because Peoples Gas is here every day," Wood said.
Days after the blast, the Allegheny County Fire Marshal said the home was having hot water tank issues.
"I feel like the general public needs to be aware of getting their water tanks and everything checked and making sure things are OK. And you know, my suspicion is that something will come out, that it was something inside the home," she said.
The county fire marshal will provide an update on its investigation on Aug. 12, one year after the tragedy.
Meanwhile, the Rustic Ridge neighborhood just keeps getting stronger.
"Our neighborhood is like a family. We really came together, and the community as a whole came together. And we will always have each other's backs now," Wood said.
Peoples Natural Gas said in a statement on Monday, "Like many in our community, the tragic events in Rustic Ridge have had a profound effect on all of us at Peoples. We continue to mourn the loss of life, including that of our colleague and friend, Casey Clontz, and his son, Keegan. Our hearts remain with his family and all those impacted by this tragedy. We are thankful for the immediate action of our colleagues, the Plum Volunteer Fire Department and other EMS who were among the first to respond to the tragic scene. These professionals showed unwavering commitment and precision to help ensure the safety of the community in the days and weeks that followed, despite the extraordinarily difficult circumstances. We are grateful to them."