This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/usa/438045-gas-explosion-beaver-pennsylvania/

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Raging inferno: Huge gas explosion sparks Pennsylvania evacuations (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) 30 homes evacuated amid huge gas explosion that ‘sounded like plane crash’ (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
(about 7 hours later)
Emergency crews are responding to a large gas line explosion in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Video footage from the scene shows huge flames from miles away. Up to 30 homes were evacuated in the early hours of Monday morning following an huge gas explosion that destroyed one home, two garages and multiple vehicles in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
The explosion was first reported at about 5am in the area of Ivy Lane in Center Township outside Pittsburgh, according to local reports, sending fireballs shooting into the early morning sky. Emergency crews fled to the scene at 5am in the area of Ivy Lane in Center Township outside Pittsburgh. Initially responders could not extinguish the natural gas line fire with water, and had to wait for pipeline employees to switch off the valves.
An evacuation of nearby residents within a half-mile radius is reportedly underway and Central Valley School District has canceled all Monday classes, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Some 1,800 people were displaced as a result of the explosion. Residents, who reported hearing a blast so loud they thought it a plane had crashed, awoke to an orange-hued night sky filled with smoke and shooting fireballs.
Several residents told reporters of heavy smoke emitting from the blaze making it hard to breath. One woman said the blast was so loud she thought a plane crashed. Video footage from the scene shows huge flames from miles away. Center Township Police Chief Barry D. Kramer said in a morning news conference said it was “probably about one of the largest fires I’ve ever seen”.
There have been no reported injuries at this time. The blaze caused several high tension power lines to fall in the area, taking down six towers with them, leaving 1,500 people in the region without power. Central Valley School District canceled all Monday classes.
Nobody was injured in the incident however some assistance was needed for evacuees with medical conditions. The fire burned itself out by 7am local time after the valves were switched off, however the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.