Mother and 6 children killed in explosion and fire at central Pennsylvania home
MILL HALL, Pennsylvania — A mother and six children aged 3 to 11 were killed in an explosion and fire at a central Pennsylvania home, authorities said.
Firefighters responding to a report of an explosion and fire at a home in Lamar Township, Clinton County, near Mill Hall, confirmed Sunday morning that seven people were trapped, but they were unable to search the burning building, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement. All seven died and police identified them as Sarah Stolzfus, 34, four sons aged 11, 10, 5 and 3 and two daughters aged 8 and 6.
The cause is under investigation. A propane leak inside the home may have caused the explosion and fire, police said, noting that exterior propane tanks did not explode and contribute to the explosion and fire.
Neighbor Christina Duck told WNEP-TV she was eating breakfast when it started.
“And I heard a boom and I felt it and I got up and I looked out the window and I could see the flames through the windows and I ran out and within a minute the whole house was completely engulfed,” Duck said. The family moved in a few months ago, Duck said, noting that she often saw the children playing outside.
