Connellsville house explosion injures 1
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) — Crews were called to a house explosion in Connellsville on Tuesday.
The home on South Ninth Street exploded and burst into flames around noon. Neighbors said they heard a loud noise and when they looked outside, they saw the house engulfed in flames.
"All at once ba-boom," neighbor Jay Urban said. "I came to the back door here and that's when I saw smoke. Then I heard a gentleman screaming, 'Help me, help me, help me.'"
The young couple who own the home didn't want to be on camera. They and their 7-year-old daughter weren't home at the time of the fire. They told KDKA-TV that they were visiting with relatives when they received the devastating call from a neighbor who informed them their house had exploded.
"We lost everything. Everything is gone. I just don't know where to start right now," one of the homeowners said.
"I heard this explosion, and I thought two semi-trucks collided," neighbor Jesse Haluchak said.
Crews were on the scene within minutes, and they were greeted with heavy flames and smoke pouring from the second and third floors of the home. The roof also collapsed.
The family had been renovating the home and was in the final stages. They say a contractor was in the attic when the fire broke out, but he was able to get out.
He was air-lifted to a Pittsburgh hospital and remains in critical condition with severe burns to more than 20% of his body.
A firetruck headed to the house fire also collided with a garbage truck.
Police told KDKA-TV that a South Connellsville Volunteer Fire Department pumper truck was traveling along Route 119, trying to get through the backed-up traffic when it hit a garbage truck.
Police say the garbage truck driver waived the fire truck through because he was headed to an emergency. Both trucks sustained minimal damage. No one was injured and no charges will be filed.
The Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze.
