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Multiple people injured in Pottstown home explosion

‘I thought it was an earthquake’, says neighbor

Gino Spocchia
Friday 27 May 2022 12:52 BST
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The exploded house has killed four people
The exploded house has killed four people (ABC6)

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A home explosion has left at least four people dead in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and two others are unaccounted for amid the wreckage of a home.

Four people were killed after a house exploded on Hale Street in the Pennsylvania borough late on Thursday, according to authorities.

Two other people were hospitalised and two others remain unaccounted for, said Justin Keller, Pottstown borough manager, during a press conference.

As WMFZ reported on Thursday, an investigation into the explosion is ongoing and it remains unclear what caused the home’s collapse.

Images from the scene show the house completely levelled to the ground by the explosion, while neighbouring homes also sustained significant damage.

Debris was strewn across the street, and cars parked by the explosion were also damaged, reports said.

Residents have reacted with alarm and confusion to the incident, with many reporting shaking and noises “like a bomb” or an earthquake.

“I heard a loud explosion, like a bomb dropped or went off, I thought it was a bomb exploded somewhere,” said one neighbour, Mark Heverly.

“Just dust, debris, houses flying everywhere, air conditioner in the yard. Came out to look, there’s no more house left,” he told WMFZ. “The whole twin is gone. Just gone”.

Many residents said they ran into the street to see what had happened after feeling the violent shaking.

“The house shook and I thought it was an earthquake. We all came outside to see what was going on,” another neighbour told Action News .

Schools in the borough have been cancelled for both staff and students on Friday, when authorities are due to provide an update on their investigation.

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