Man accused of intentionally blowing up his Pittsburgh-area home, police say

A Plum man is facing numerous charges after police said he intentionally blew up his home nearly four years ago. 

Jacob Rabb is facing a lengthy list of charges, including criminal attempted homicide, in connection with an explosion on Hialeah Drive that injured five people, destroyed a house and damaged several others in April 2022. 

According to the criminal complaint, Rabb intentionally tampered with the dryer's gas valve and turned the gas on, allowing gas to flow into the home, which exploded around 11:30 p.m. on April 22, 2022. Rabb, his then-girlfriend and their three young children were home during the explosion. One of the children suffered first-degree burns, police said in the criminal complaint. 

The criminal complaint said "extremely high" gas consumption of about 300 cubic feet per hour was recorded at the home on April 18, 2022, April 21, 2022, and April 22, 2022, with an expert telling law enforcement that normal household consumption was around 180 cubic feet per hour. 

Rabb's then-girlfriend had no explanation for the high rates, according to the criminal complaint, which added that Rabb told investigators that he installed a gas dryer at the home, but he could not explain the high rates.

More than a year after the house explosion, Rabb's now-ex-girlfriend filed for a protection-from-abuse order against him, the criminal complaint said. The woman said she found a handwritten note in the kitchen cabinet that said "P.S. I did Blow up the House." 

The criminal complaint added that the woman told investigators that Rabb discussed how he "disconnected the gas valve" from the dryer and turned the gas on, allowing the gas to flow freely. Rabb also told his father that he "blew up the house," police said.

Holiday Park Fire Department Chief James Sim said on the night of the explosion that when first responders arrived, the house "was fully involved. The roof was already caved in, the side walls were caving in. It's amazing they survived this incident."

Investigators said the ignition source was the furnace.