Pottstown House Explosion Leaves 5 People Killed, 2 Others Injured: Officials
POTTSTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Five people were killed and two others suffered injuries after a house explosion in Pottstown on Thursday night. The number of people dead grew from four people to five people on Friday.
Officials say one of the victims is in critical but stable condition, and one is in surgery at this time. The specifics of their injuries are unknown at this time.
Officials say more details about the victims will be released as their families are notified.
Pottstown officials say they believe all people have been accounted for after saying two people might have been missing on Thursday.
Fire officials say they believe the explosion was an "isolated incident" and that there's no wider risk to the community. Eight homes were damaged due to the blast, including two that were completely destroyed.
Crews have been working around the clock at the scene as the investigation involves documenting the entire area. The area is being treated as a crime scene until they find evidence that says otherwise.
Fire crews were first called to Washington Street and Butler Avenue in Pottstown around 8 p.m. on Thursday. When they got to the scene, they found a house had exploded, which caused a two-alarm fire, and multiple people needed medical attention.
Pottstown Police is leading the investigation with help from Philadelphia Police, the ATF, and Pa State Police Arson unit.
School has been canceled Friday throughout the borough of Pottstown, and anyone who's been affected by this explosion is being told to go to the Pottstown Senior High school to get help from the Red Cross.
Despite all the damage, many of the neighbors Eyewitness News spoke to are mostly worried about how families have been affected by this tragedy.
"Out back smoking a cigar and then a bomb went off," one neighbor said. "Just dust, debris, houses flying everywhere, an air conditioner in the yard. So I came out and looked and there's no more house left. The whole twin is gone."
The incident is still under investigation and the cause of the explosion is still unknown.
Officials are asking members of the community to avoid the area as they investigate.
CBS3's Ross DiMattei and Kerri Corrado contributed to this report.
