Historic Bucks County house "total loss" after explosion, ATF assisting with investigation, police say
One person was hurt after a house explosion in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Chopper 3 was over what remains of the 1930s farmhouse on Highview Road in Hilltown Township, near Sellersville, Monday morning. Video showed a large field of debris and numerous crews looking through remnants of the house, which was deemed a "total loss," according to Hilltown Township Police Chief Christopher Engelhart.
The property was featured in Philadelphia Magazine back in 2022 after undergoing a major renovation and redesign.
Hilltown Township posted on social media just after 9:30 a.m., asking people to avoid the area due to an "ongoing incident."
Steve Kendra, who lives near the property, said he was at the end of his driveway putting mail in his mailbox when the explosion happened. He had just gotten back into his car and told CBS News Philadelphia that debris from the explosion had hit his windshield and knocked off his rearview mirror.
"It was terrifying, terrifying," he said. "It took like a minute or two to actually grasp how bad it was. I was sitting there almost in disbelief that that could happen right in front of my eyes."
"The fact that I was completely uninjured at the end of the lane, amazing," Kendra said.
Kendra said the homeowners weren't home, but a worker was at the property at the time of the explosion.
Engelhart confirmed that the worker was injured in the blast and taken to a hospital via ambulance. Engelhart said the worker suffered some burns, but they're expected to survive.
According to Engelhart, there are no natural gas lines connected to the house. However, the preliminary investigation indicates that the property's propane tank is related to the explosion.
"We're assuming at this point there was some type of leak," Engelhart said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will assist local officials and the Bucks County Fire Marshal's Office to determine the source of the explosion.
