Four children are among the five people killed in an explosion at a house in Pennsylvania on Thursday night, a report said.
Alana Wood, 13; Jeremiah White, 12; Nehemiah White, 10; Tristan White, 8; and 67-year-old Francine White were killed in an explosion in Potstown that wiped out one home and severely damaged others, officials said on Friday, according to WPVI-TV.
Eugene White, 44, and Christina Matuzsan, 32, have been left in critical condition, the station said. It is not clear how the victims are related.
The cause of the explosion is still being clarified, authorities said.
Neighbor Kim Kulp says her grandchildren were best friends with the young victims.
“Everyone will be affected. It’s just awful. It hit too close to home, “Kulp told the station.
“Their children also loved our dog, so they rode their bikes and followed us for walks,” said neighbor Rebecca Scott. “They were really great kids. This family did not deserve what happened to them. “
The blast killed five people. Matt Rourke / AP
Stunned neighbors described the strong impact, which caused a severe fire with two alarms.
“I really thought it was really thundering nearby, but it shook the area,” Christian Gonzalez told the station.
“The house shook and I thought it was an earthquake. We all went outside to see what was going on, “said another neighbor.
The cause of the explosion is still being clarified. Matt Rourke / AP
Classes were canceled Friday in a neighborhood of 22,000, about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
“Our thoughts and prayers are directed to these families. “When schools reopen, our counselors and psychologists will be available to support,” said Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez, who reportedly wrote to families.
Add Comment