Pennsylvania explosion kills at least 3

Pennsylvania explosion kills at least 3

2011-02-11 02:05:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least three people died in a natural gas explosion in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Wednesday night, CNN reported.

The victims include a four-month old infant and a 79 year-old. Allentown Fire Chief Robert Scheirer, who confirmed the deaths, said emergency personnel were still searching for two other potential victims.

The explosion rocked the neighborhood before 11 p.m., sending a fire roaring through a row of homes. A pair of homes were flattened and burning after the initial explosion, while the resulting fire destroyed six and affected 16 additional homes.

Firefighters combed through snow and ice to shut off a gas line that was fueling the flames.

"We don't have anything confirmed yet at this point," Scheirer said when asked about the cause of the blast. "We believe it to be a natural gas explosion. We don't know if the leak was inside the home or out on the street. That all has to be investigated."

The blast occurred a short distance from a senior center, which was evacuated. About 500 people, who were placed in shelters immediately after the explosion, returned to the center on Thursday.

"The fire is out. The gas line has been shut off. We have all the shelter victims being returned to their homes, the homes that can be habitable at this point," Scheirer added.

A natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, California, killed eight people in September. The explosion and the resulting fire injured 52 people and destroyed 37 homes. Last month, a gas main explosion in Philadelphia killed a utilities worker and injured five other people.

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