Shocking footage has emerged which shows a house exploding seemingly out of nowhere.
The explosion in Pennsylvania killed five people, including Casey Clontz, 38, and his 12-year-old son Keegan. Three other adults also died in the explosion, and have not yet been named by police.
A sixth person was also critically injured in the explosion, while 57 firefighters have also been treated for injuries after responding to the call.
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Video captured by a doorbell camera shows the tranquil street rocked by the explosion, which was powerful enough to shake the porch and knock over a sign even from that distance.
Reports have said that Keegan and Casey were passing by the house at the time of the explosion, with their family since having paid tribute to them after their tragic and untimely deaths.
They said: “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.
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“Keegan and Casey will be missed by so many and will continue to be loved by so many including their family, friends, and community."
Images from the scene afterwards show what little is left of the house. An investigation is now open to try and determine the source of the explosion.
The gas into the property was provided by Peoples Gas and the firm is now looking into the causes of the tragic incident, confirming its staff were at the site of the explosion within 15 minutes.
President of Peoples Gas Mike Huwar told WTAE: “We immediately began checks in the area for leakages, including smell checks and testing for gas underground and in the air.
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“We also verified consistent pressure at tour regulation stations. At this point we can share that our system was operating as designed."
Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro wrote: “Lori and I are praying for family, friends, and neighbors who lost someone in Plum yesterday, and we’re grateful for the first responders who ran towards danger to save lives. The five Pennsylvanians who passed and their families are in our thoughts today. May their memories be a blessing.”
Allegheny County officials have said that the investigation into the cause of the blast could take months.
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The blast happened at around 10.30am on 12 August, and also saw at least two other homes destroyed and around a dozen damaged.
Neighbour Justin Newman told WTAE: “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.”
Kit Roberts