A horrifying video has emerged that captures the moment a house in western Pennsylvania was blown to pieces, resulting in the deaths of five people, including a 38-year-old man and his 12-year-old son. One person sustained critical injuries in the incident. Two neighboring houses were also destroyed in the explosion.
Doorbell camera footage from WTAE captures the moment when the house located on Rustic Ridge Drive in Plum Borough exploded into a massive fireball on Saturday. The reason behind the explosion is currently being investigated, and Allegheny County officials have indicated that determining the exact cause might take several months.
Blown to Pieces
Plum Police Chief Lanny Conley said that the Allegheny County medical examiner has confirmed that the explosion in the Rustic Ridge Estates neighborhood resulted in the deaths of four adults and one child.
During the incident, fifty-seven firefighters were treated to at the scene for minor concerns, such as heat-related injuries, WTAE reported, citing Steve Imbarlina, assistant chief of Allegheny County Emergency Services.
Two of the victims so far have been identified as Casey Clontz, 38, and his 12-year-old son Keegan. The father-son duo lived merely four houses away from the site that exploded on Saturday in Plum at 10:22 am.
The chilling video shows the house on Rustic Ridge Road exploding, resulting in neighboring properties catching fire as well.
It was unclear what they were doing there, though the family said Casey was very friendly with the neighbors.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the Oravitz family, who live in the property that was blown to smithereens in the explosion. It remains uncertain whether any members of the Oravitz family are among the deceased people.
Casey, who was employed at Peoples Gas, held a strong passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers and was described as a dedicated father involved in both football and gymnastics.
Keegan, who was a part of the Plum Mustangs youth football team, was on the verge of starting junior high school, according to the report.
"Keegan and Casey were their most happy when they were spending time at the lake with their lake family and friends. They swam, did boating and loved cruising around in their golf cart," the family said.
"Keegan and Casey will be missed by so many and will continue to be loved by so many including their family, friends, and community," the statement added.
Shocking Death
Casey and his wife, Jennifer, whom he first met in seventh grade, got married 14 years ago. They share a 10-year-old daughter named Addie.
The identities of the three others who lost their lives have not been revealed at this point.
Out of those affected, two have been discharged from the hospital. One person remains in critical condition.
Steve Imbarlina added that the reason behind the explosion is still being investigated.
"There will be lots of forensic testing to be able to tell anything one way or another. This investigation may last for months if not years," he said.
The president of Peoples Gas confirmed that their teams reached the neighborhood within a mere 15 minutes following the explosion.
"We immediately began checks in the area for leakages, including smell checks and testing for gas underground and in the air," Mike Huwar told WTAE.
"We also verified consistent pressure a tour regulation stations. At this point we can share that our system was operating as designed," he added.
According to public records, the people residing at the property were Paul Oravitz, 56, his wife Heather, 51, and their two children Taylor and Cole. Formal identification of the victims is expected to be a time-consuming process involving the use of dental records and DNA.
Initial reports indicate that the system was functioning according to its intended design, leading to queries about the root cause of the house explosion. Speculation has arisen, including the possibility of the involvement of a mine.
In the aftermath of the explosion, utilities were shut as a safety measure. However, electricity has been reinstated in all areas except the immediate vicinity of the blast.
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal's Office is spearheading the investigation into the source and cause of the fire and explosion. The investigation is predicted to be a lengthy process.
The neighborhood's residents are seeking answers about the terrible explosion. "This isn't the first time that this has happened in Plum," neighbor Justin Newman told the outlet.
"We need to know why this is happening. It's sad that people lost their lives and we don't have answers. We need answers for these families we need answers for this community."
