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Tragedy strikes Lamar Township home
Seven members of a Pennsylvania family died Sunday after an explosion and fire tore through their residence, authorities confirmed. The victims included a 34-year-old woman and her six children, ranging in age from three to eleven.
Emergency response details
Clinton County police received reports of an explosion at a Lamar Township house at 08:30 local time (13:30 GMT). Firefighters arrived to find the structure fully engulfed in flames, preventing any rescue attempts, according to a police report.
Investigation focuses on propane leak
Preliminary findings suggest a propane gas leak inside the home may have triggered the blast. The Pennsylvania State Police are leading the investigation, though officials have not yet released further details. The BBC has reached out to authorities for additional comment.
Witness describes harrowing moments
Neighbor Christina Duck told WNEP-TV she was having breakfast with her daughter when she heard a loud "boom."
"I could feel the explosion, and when I looked outside, flames were already visible through the windows. Within a minute, the entire house was completely engulfed,"
Christina Duck, neighbor
Duck said bystanders immediately called emergency services, but by the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had consumed the structure too rapidly for any intervention.
Victims identified
Police identified the mother as Sarah B. Stolzfus. The children-four boys and two girls-were between the ages of three and eleven. Their names have not been released pending family notifications.
Scene described as devastating
Local media footage showed thick black smoke billowing from the home as flames destroyed its framework, causing partial collapse. The cause of the propane leak remains under investigation.
