Two firefighters stand on the debris around the smoldering wreckage of the three houses that exploded in Plum, Pa., on Aug. 12, 2023. (AP)
In mid-August, a house exploded in Plum, PA, causing two neighboring houses to burn to the ground. Plum is located in Allegheny County near Pittsburgh. Five people died in the initial blast and fires. However, a sixth person later died from his injuries. We grieve with the families and friends of those who died or were injured. The incident is under investigation. The house is part of a development built on abandoned mine land surrounded by shallow oil and gas wells, some of which have been abandoned. Two wells still producing gas are about 1000 feet from the home. So, to be thorough, the state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) launched its own investigation to see if nearby wells (active or inactive) or the pipelines that connect them could have contributed to the tragedy (Plum, PA House Explosion Investigation Expands to Local O&G Wells). On Friday, the DEP said its investigation has found that "stray gas" from area wells and/or pipelines is NOT the cause of the explosion.
