A man who fought for his life in a burns unit for four days became the sixth confirmed victim of the mysterious explosion, which also killed his wife. in the Pennsylvania mining town of Plum.
Paul Oravitz, 56, died of injuries sustained in the explosion after being pulled from the rubble just minutes after a fireball engulfed his street.
Oravitz’s wife, Heather, 51, and neighbors Mike Thomas, 57, Kevin Sebunia, 55, Casey Clontz, 38, and son Keegan Clontz, 12, were also killed after three buildings were destroyed by the blast just before 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The 56-year-old was a passionate supporter and treasurer of the city’s youth football club and was fondly remembered by its chairman, Fred Lucas.
“The world has just lost one of the greatest creations God has ever made,” said Lucas. “I don’t know anyone better than him, and I’ve met a lot of people in my life.
Paul Oravitz, 56, died of injuries sustained in the explosion after being pulled from the rubble just minutes after the fireball engulfed his street. He is the sixth victim of the blast, including his wife Heather, 51
a GoFundMe for the family’s two adult children, daughter Taylor, 23, and son Cole, 21, have raised more than $50,000.
The cause of death of all victims remains pending an investigation by the medical examiner’s office.
The remains of the victims have since been released to families for burial, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
Terrifying footage showed the moment when the house at 141 Rustic Ridge Road completely blew apart, engulfing other properties in flames.
The house was owned by the Oravitz family. Heather was director of community development in the city, which is about 20 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Two more people injured in the blast were treated in a hospital and released.
New doorbell footage shows the moment the house blew apart, causing extensive damage.
The images start with a calm, sunny shot of the street, with no signs of movement.
Public records show that Paul Oravitz, 56, his wife Heather (pictured center right), 51, and their two children, Taylor (pictured right) and Cole (pictured left), lived in the property
Casey Clontz, 38, and his son Keegan, 12, lived just four houses away from the property that exploded in Plum at 10:22 a.m. Saturday.
Kevin Sebunia was described as a devoted family man who leaves behind his wife Kelly and daughters Emily and Abigail.
Borough manager Michael Thomas is survived by his wife Jackie and their 16-year-old daughter
Moments later, the camera shakes violently from the force of the blast, and debris is launched across the street before falling to the ground as rain.
The former victim, Casey Clontz, is survived by his wife Jen and daughter Addie, 10.
The family said in a tribute to them, “Their smiles and laughter filled the hearts of their family and friends with joy that can never be replaced.”
Relatives have not said why the father and son Keegan were on the Oravitz’s property, but explained that it was not uncommon for them to stop by because they were “very friendly” with neighbors.
Sebunia was described as a devoted family man who leaves behind his wife, Kelly, and daughters, Emily and Abigail, according to the local newspaper Tribe Live.
“His family came above everything else,” his friend Joe Pulcini told the newspaper. “His two girls came before anything.”
Borough manager Michael Thomas is survived by his wife Jackie and their 16-year-old daughter, Tribe Live said.
The mayor told the newspaper that Thomas had recently taught his daughter how to drive a gearshift and described him as “probably the best neighborhood manager we’ve had.”
“He was a true professional and I considered him a friend. He ran the district and ran it well,” Schlegel said.
Relatives have not said why the father and son were on the Oravitz’s property, but explained it was not uncommon for them to stop by because they were “very friendly” with neighbors
Five people have been found dead after a house explosion in western Pennsylvania that destroyed three buildings and damaged at least a dozen others, authorities said Sunday
New doorbell footage shows the moment the house blew apart, causing extensive damage
Emergency services were called to Rustic Ridge Drive and Brookside Drive at about 10:23 a.m. Saturday morning and discovered people trapped under the rubble, while two others were engulfed in flames, police said
Police and emergency services search the wreckage of the three exploded homes near Rustic Ridge Drive and Brookside Drive
Two firefighters stand on the rubble surrounding the smoldering wreckage of the three homes that exploded near Rustic Ridge Drive and Brookside Drive in Plum
Emergency services said people were trapped under the rubble when they arrived at the scene.
County spokesman Amie Downs said the blast flattened one house and set two others on fire.
Fifty-seven firefighters were treated at the scene for minor problems, an Allegheny County official said.
The cause of the explosion is being investigated by the Allegheny County Fire Department’s office along with local law enforcement officials, with officials warning that the process will be diligent and will take time.
The fire chief’s office said in a statement Monday that it was aware of the reported problems with the hot water tank. The agency planned to investigate the cause of the explosion, with the hot water tank problem in mind, and “along with all other possibilities,” the statement said.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the development is on abandoned mining land surrounded by shallow still-producing or abandoned oil and gas wells.
Two producing gas wells are within about 1,000 feet of the house that exploded and a pipeline runs behind the development, but none of those structures have been identified as involved in the blast, the paper reported.
Michael Huwar, president of Peoples Gas, said official audits by the company showed that “our system worked as designed.”
Footage of the explosion circulating online shows a house in Plum, a Pittsburgh suburb, in what appears to be a fairly sleepy neighborhood exploding and sending debris flying about
A GoFundMe has been set up for the Oravitz family, raising more than $50,000
The state’s public utility commission said Tuesday it is overseeing integrity testing of nearby lines by the utility and interviewing utilities, first responders and residents, and is coordinating on-site evidence collection “including natural gas service lines and meters.”
Commission safety engineers also oversaw the restoration of electrical service and the planning and safe restoration of natural gas service.
A spokesman for the county said on Tuesday that electricity had been restored to all but the three houses that were destroyed by Sunday afternoon.