Man Injured While Allegedly Setting Off Pipe Bomb
NEW KENSINGTON (KDKA) – Police are investigating after a New Kensington man was injured while allegedly setting off a pipe bomb.
"At this point, we're not sure if this was intentional, if it was an accident, if he was being stupid," said Chief Thomas Klawinski, of New Kensington Police.
Gregory Domanski, 50, was carried from his home on a stretcher after he was injured in an explosion.
The quiet of a Thursday morning was shattered around 10:20 p.m.
"I was sitting in my bedroom, we were watching 'The Waltons,' and all the sudden we just heard this huge explosion like a house had just combusted," said Kathie Thornhauer, a neighbor.
Thornhauer came running to Domanski's house next door.
"There was a bunch of people over here at the abandoned house next to my neighbors, there was a great big pipe with smoke coming out of it, lots and lots of smoke and there was blood," added Thornhauer.
The pipe was two-feet of black PVC smoking at both ends. They followed the blood trail onto her neighbor's porch.
"She knocked and knocked on the door, no answer but there was a lot of blood on the door," Thornhauer said.
Inside they found Domanski on the floor. He has lived alone there for three years. His injuries are severe.
"When officers arrived, there was a man here who actually had a lot of damage to his one arm," said Chief Klawinski.
Nate Ferguson saw Domanski right after the explosion.
"His hand… part of his finger is missing and stuff," said Ferguson. "He was just standing there asking for, whoever was there, he was just asking for an ambulance."
By 1 p.m. traffic was being detoured making way for the Allegheny County Bomb Squad and investigators from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Neighbors say Domanski was upset about a boarded up house nearby.
Whatever blew was next to the gas meter; fortunately, all the utilities were off.
"We heard that he's made some statements about the home next door that's abandoned. It's on the tear down list," Chief Klawinski said.
The bomb squad and ATF combed Domanski's house looking for any other incendiary devices, but none were found.
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