An 84-year-old woman tragically lost her life in a Penn Hills fire, with initial investigations pointing to a propane gas leak as the suspected cause. As reported by WPXI, the incident occurred yesterday afternoon on the 300 block of College Street. The fire and subsequent explosion were severe enough to collapse the home's first floor and blow out a foundation wall, Penn Hills Fire Marshal Chuck Miller confirmed.
According to eyewitness accounts and official reports, neighbors heard two powerful explosions. "The first one woke me up. The second one I was awake for, but they were pretty loud," Brandon Revino-Bennett recounted in an interview reported by WPXI. The first responders quickly tried to control the blaze, which had spread, melting the siding of an adjacent residence. The fire marshal suggested that a propane system not up to code likely filled the basement with gas before being ignited by kerosene heaters.
Tragically, the intense fire resulted in the loss of a life. It wasn't until later that evening that the body of the 84-year-old woman, identified as the sister of the homeowner, was found in the basement. Fire Marshal Miller indicated that one of the 100-pound propane tanks at the back of the residence contributed to the second explosion.
Overlaying crews worked diligently to douse the flames captured by Sky 4, Pittsburgh's news helicopter, which showed the billowing smoke from the charred site. A neighboring home was also caught in the fire, but fortunately, all occupants made it out safely. In a statement detailed by WTAE, Miller assured that the residents could save the structure of their damaged home. However, the fire's original site has been declared a total loss.
Miller has classified the fire as an accident with no signs of foul play, though the police investigation is ongoing.
