Horror photos and videos show the aftermath of a huge explosion in Western Pennsylvania on Saturday morning. Emergency services are still on the scene looking for missing people.
There are scenes of utter devastation in PlumÂ
Three houses have been completely flattened, dozens more damaged, one confirmed dead and more are lost after a huge explosion in Western Pennsylvania.
The incident occurred in the Plum Borough, in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
Police received a 911 call reporting a “house explosion with multiple injuries and several houses on fire” at approximately 10:23 am, according to Allegheny County spokesperson Amie Downs.
When first responders arrived on the scene, they found people trapped under debris and multiple structures on fire.
They transported three to local hospitals, while “three others are currently unaccounted for,” Downs added.
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She said: “First responders from the police and fire department arrived on the scene and reported that there were people trapped under debris and that it appeared as if one house had exploded, and two others were engulfed in fire.
“Multiple other homes were damaged with windows blown out.”
Horror photos and video footage show the scale of destruction in the community of Rustic Ridge
Plum explosion: Three houses destroyed and multiple feared dead in horror scenes
Locals have been urged to stay away from the area. At least 20 local fire departments responded to the scene, which remains active.
First responders described the horror scene (Image: WTAE)
Allegheny County Emergency Management officials and the Allegheny County Fire Marshals are at the scene as well.
Gas lines are being secured as firefighters continue to extinguish flames at nearby structures.
Chief of the Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department and emergency management coordinator for Plum, said: “I’ve been to six house explosions in Plum, and this is the worst I’ve seen in 47 years or 48 years, the worst one, just the amount of damage.”
A house exploded and multiple others were engulfed in flames (Image: WTAE)
Multiple people are unaccounted for (Image: WTAE)
The house that exploded is the home of borough manager Mike Thomas, Plum Mayor Harry Schlegel told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
The status of Thomas is currently unknown, Schlegel said. His wife and daughter were taken to the hospital.
Neighbour Alexis Typanski, who was asleep at the time of the explosion, said: “I heard this ‘boom.’ It was so loud that it woke me up. I thought it was thunder from the storms last night.