PA Gas Explosion Destroys 8 Homes, Leaves 6 People Missing
- Posted on February 10, 2011 at 7:37am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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ALLENTOWN, Pa. (The Blaze/AP) — A natural gas explosion in eastern Pennsylvania leveled two houses, spawned fires that burned for more than seven hours and prompted the evacuation of hundreds of people. At least six people were unaccounted for Thursday.
According to a local news report, however, one person has been confirmed dead, leaving five people still missing.
Among them are two people whose two-story row house in a downtown residential neighborhood blew up about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, police Chief Roger MacClean said. The cause of the explosion was unclear.
The fires consumed an entire row of homes, fire Chief Robert Scheirer said. The blaze was put out early Thursday, delayed by the difficulty of digging through packed layers of snow and ice to a ruptured underground gas line that was feeding the flames, Scheirer said.
He predicted eight houses would be lost and another 16 damaged.
In all, 500 to 600 people were evacuated, including elderly residents of a high rise. Residents were allowed to return home early Thursday. They had been taken to a Jewish community center and an agricultural hall at the city’s fairgrounds while emergency crews worked overnight.
The blast was so powerful that it sent a flat-screen computer monitor sailing into the back of Antonio Arroyo, whose house was on the opposite end of the row from the house that exploded.
“I thought we were under attack,” he recalled from a shelter where some 250 people took refuge in the hours after the blast.
Arroyo and his wife, Jill, both 43, lost their home in the fire.
Antonio said he ran outside and saw that an entire house had been leveled, a fireball now raging in the spot where it once stood.
“What I saw, I couldn’t believe,” said Arroyo, a community volunteer.
He and his wife, a nurse, fled their home with only the clothes on their back. They planned to return at daylight to see what they could salvage. Jill Arroyo broke down sobbing when she recalled her son’s athletic memorabilia – likely lost in the blaze – including DVDs of his high school football games.
“The DVDs are gone. All his trophies are gone. All gone,” she sobbed as her husband comforted her.
Tricia Aleski, who lives a few blocks away, said the explosion jangled her nerves.
“I was reading a book in the living room and it felt like a giant kicked the house. It all shook. Everything shook,” she said. “I checked the stove and everything, (to) make sure everything’s off.”
Jason Soke was watching college basketball when he heard and felt the explosion. It rattled his windows. He went to the third floor and looked out and saw flames and smoke.
“Your senses kind of get stunned,” he said. “It puts you on edge.”
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JQCitizen
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 11:07pmLive south of Allentown. They’re not sure yet what caused it. But we are having extremely cold temperatures here. We are praying for these families.
Report Post »myerstown charlie
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 8:27pmIt could have been a suicide gone really wrong, human error, or a meth lab I don’t think they are positive nor can they be till the fire is out and it has been investigated. Given the way things are going in the last 4 years with the economy and the job market a lot of stupid stuff has happened.
Report Post »carolinalockie
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 2:36pmA friend of mine lost his house, but he is OK. I know that aging infrastructure was the blame in California, may be here also. Another possibility would be frost heave, due to the cold winter we are experiencing.
Report Post »merd01
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 2:02pmI grew up on 14th and Liberty Street 45 years ago. I went to elementary school with the Hall’s son. My mother still lives there. For decades, she has smelled gas in the home. UGI has been out multiple times, but were never able to find any leak. Frankly, it’s just a matter of time before that side of town completely blows up. I have thanked God that my mother is okay–this time . . .
Report Post »AKUSA
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 12:37pmThis seems to happening a lot as of late. The first one in Cali I bought as a “aging” infrastructure. But now we have 3-4 since not to mention the one in Egypt. I’m thinking we have a jihadist amongst US.
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 10:27amThis seems to happen more and more. Is it the fault of the pipeline?
Wait just a damn minute here. This goes against everything I believe in. What the hell happened to free enterprise doing the right thing. I thought we get the government out of the way and everything is on a smooth cruise control. You mean to tell me a business will put profits above safety? Oh yea DDT. Well once you are hurt from something like this, you can always sue. Wait!!!! That takes us make to the government. What is the answer my wise no government people?
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 11:32amWe do not favor no Government – genius – we favor small limited central government as designed in the Constitution with most of the structured Government located as close to the people as possible – at the State and local level – again as designed by the US Constitution. It doesn’t take too long to read – try it……
Report Post »brntout
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 8:53amTwo more blew up this morning elsewhere with 6 missing.Indeed strange.
Report Post »emertz8413
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 8:14amAdding those families to my prayer list.
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 7:58amWhat a horrible event. Prayers for the families
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 7:54amHmm. That kinda makes me wonder about the high pressure line running across my property.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
beckisnuts
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 7:53amInfrastructure problems are resulting in more and more of these explosions. Remember the one in CA recently? San Bruno…
Report Post »SHTFMRadio.com -- Emergency Preparedness Radio Show
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 7:43amWow this is getting to be a pattern here, with the natural gas explosions.
Report Post »Also i hope no one was seriously injured but with something to this scale that is very har to know.
janedough1
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 8:29amAccording to the update this morning, seven people are missing and probably dead, unless they just weren’t home, and it is the second or third such blast in that neighborhood. This breaks my heart. This is my mother’s home town, and it has been so battered by the closing of Bethlehem Steel and the opening of I 78, which together turned it from an orderly working class town to a crime ridden bedroom community of New York City. The infrastructure is crumbling, having had little done to it since the late seventies. Thank you very much to the arrogant leadership of both Bethlehem Steel and the Steelworkers Union. The home of my ancestors is still paying for your hubris.
Report Post »GeauxAlready
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 7:41am.
Report Post »Pray for the families…………..
grandmaof5
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 8:13amI agree. While the memorabilia may be lost forever, she still has her son, and that is what counts. The rest is just “stuff”. Pray for those who are lost.
Report Post »sedition
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 8:54amThis is unfracking believable.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 9:08amHoliest father please comfort the families of those lost and missing, guide the hands of the people helping the injured and may peace of mind and body be brought by your grace to those who had to be evacuated in the area.
Report Post »janedough1
Posted on February 10, 2011 at 1:43pmSedition, it gets worse. The old folks home across the street had its windows blown out this time, but 17 years ago, it had an explosion of its own that caused millions of dollars of damage to the building and injured 82 people, killing one. I wonder if the likes of Richard Trumpke pause when they see a story like this? Forty years ago Allentown was such a thriving and wealthy town that the local department store Hess Brothers, was known for trying to outdo New York and Paris, but since the unions killed Bethlehem Steel, they can’t even keep their basic utilities up.
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