PA - Explosion and Fires Level Three (3) Homes, 5 dead, Allegheny County, 12 Aug 2023

[Richrd]

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Plum house explosion: 4 dead, 1 unaccounted for, 3 homes destroyed

Three houses were destroyed and at least a dozen more were damaged when a home exploded in Plum on Saturday morning, Allegheny County officials said.

www.wtae.com

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[CCJD]

Updated on the local news tonight.

Plum house explosion: 4 dead, 1 unaccounted for, 3 homes destroyed

Three houses were destroyed and at least a dozen more were damaged when a home exploded in Plum on Saturday morning, Allegheny County officials said.

www.wtae.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

Plum has history of house explosions

There have been at least two previous house explosions in Plum since 2008, both in the Holiday Park neighborhood. The most recent was April 22, 2022, at 5021 Hialeah Drive. A couple and their three sons who lived there survived. As of September, the cause of the explosion had not

triblive.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1690475439209287680

The house that exploded, 141 Rustic Ridge Drive, is owned by Paul D. and Heather L. Oravitz, according to Allegheny County records. Those same records indicate that one of the neighboring houses that was destroyed is owned by Michael and Jacqueline Thomas. The other is owned by Harrison A. and Kelly Smith.

Heather Oravitz is Plum’s director of community development; Michael Thomas is Plum’s borough manager.

Notice of Privacy

triblive.com

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Multiple house fires over years.
People are going to demand safety, as they should.

 

[Inthedetails]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1690475439209287680

The house that exploded, 141 Rustic Ridge Drive, is owned by Paul D. and Heather L. Oravitz, according to Allegheny County records. Those same records indicate that one of the neighboring houses that was destroyed is owned by Michael and Jacqueline Thomas. The other is owned by Harrison A. and Kelly Smith.

Heather Oravitz is Plum’s director of community development; Michael Thomas is Plum’s borough manager.

Notice of Privacy

triblive.com

"Emanuele said the man whose house exploded said 'there was a lot of ammo in the house.'

Periodic explosions still could be heard after the initial incident."

I'm not suggesting ammo was the cause of the explosion as seems like a natural gas issue. But, whoa, exploding ammo makes it even more dangerous for first responders and neighbors running to the rescue.

jmo

 

[steeltowngirl]

The middle house that exploded appears to be completely gone from foundation up. You can only see the remaining walls of the basement foundation.

VIDEO: Plum house explosion: View of the damage from Sky 4

Sky 4 flew over the scene of an explosion on Rustic Ridge Drive in Plum. Allegheny County officials said three homes were destroyed and 12 were damaged.

www.wtae.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

How close is Rustic Ridge in Plum to the old Renton mine?

 

[steeltowngirl]

2 of the 5 deceased victims have been identified, including one child.

Son, father remembered after dying in Plum house explosion

According to the Trib, Keegan would have been 13 in January.

www.wtae.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

Family, officials confirm names of 3 remaining victims killed in Plum house explosion

Emily Sebunia described her father as an incredible father and friend.

www.wtae.com

 

[StarryStarryNight]

First I will say that my house would be up for sale today if I lived in that area. Authorities really seem to drag their feet on finding answers. More than one explosion…something ain’t right.
Allegheny County geology does have a lot of potentially contributing factors. A lot of coal and methane comes with that. Coal mines, abandoned mines,(some of which are used as methane and gas storage), pipelines, etc. Sometimes the gas leaks and migrates.
Are there any landfills, used or abandoned, nearby? Those create their own methane.

 

[PGHJW]

This is my hometown. For whatever reason I don't remember the 1996 explosion at all which is strange as I was in jr. high. The 2008 one I remember very well. It shook my house and I could see the smoke from my front door. I moved (unrelated) probably the next month and the 2022 explosion is actually closer to where I live now. I think I remember hearing the sirens that night but not the blast.

It's a 50/50 shot if the story will ever come out. The 2008 one did, probably because of the miracle survival of the little girl. The 2022 one didn't, to the best of my knowledge.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

How close is Rustic Ridge in Plum to the old Renton mine?

According to this article/Op-Ed it appears the Renton Mine is approximately a mile away from Rustic Ridge.
It also says much of the subdivision is under reclaimed mining land and even mentions that underground gasses can migrate.
Although the article calls for a thorough investigation, it seems to have a tone of “but that’s just how it is”.
I have a degree in geology but I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert in coal mining and reclamation or the hazards related to it. Just my thoughts though, that the powers-that-be think they understand and are controlling things. They want everything to be normal, and it’s not and they’re not looking hard enough.

Editorial: Is there something rotten in Plum? State must investigate.

Saturday’s catastrophic house explosion in Plum Borough, which killed five people, was the third and most violent in the northeast Allegheny County...

www.post-gazette.com

 

[CCJD]

Homeowners were having issues with hot water tank before deadly blast in Pennsylvania, officials say

Authorities say the owners of a home that exploded in western Pennsylvania were having issues with their hot water tank, but the cause of the blast remains under investigation.

apnews.com

 

[Deleted member 326769]

How close is Rustic Ridge in Plum to the old Renton mine?

Wow. Renton is the name of the town I grew up in, raised my boys here and still live here. All the way across the country. I know it was a guys last name. We were all coal mines back in the day. But I’ve never heard the name used as anything other than our little towns name. Lol

 

[steeltowngirl]

‘It’s been overwhelming’: Plum community steps up to help grieving, displaced neighbors after fatal home explosion

On a wooden pew at St. Januarius Church in Plum, Marie Pietropaolo said a prayer for her neighbors. Just about 2 miles away, a house explosion and fire...

www.post-gazette.com

 

[steeltowngirl]

Homeowners were having issues with hot water tank before deadly blast in Pennsylvania, officials say

Authorities say the owners of a home that exploded in western Pennsylvania were having issues with their hot water tank, but the cause of the blast remains under investigation.

apnews.com

Hot water tank issues could explain why the neighbor who worked for the gas company came over to help. Sadly, he brought his young son along, and they were both killed when the home exploded.

I just ordered a natural gas leak detector for my home.

 

[steeltowngirl]

TribLive

Following a fatal explosion that investigators say may have been fueled by natural gas in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood, two natural gas leaks have been found in another borough neighborhood.

www.facebook.com

 

[CCJD]

Hot water tank issues could explain why the neighbor who worked for the gas company came over to help. Sadly, he brought his young son along, and they were both killed when the home exploded.

I just ordered a natural gas leak detector for my home.

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[CCJD]

TribLive

Following a fatal explosion that investigators say may have been fueled by natural gas in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood, two natural gas leaks have been found in another borough neighborhood.

www.facebook.com

Just heard about this on KDKA.

2 gas leaks found in different Plum neighborhood days after deadly house explosion

The neighborhoods are about a 10-minute drive apart.

www.cbsnews.com

For reference for those not familiar with the area:

Regency Park to Brookside Drive & Rustic Ridge Drive

goo.gl