4 dead, 2 missing after Pennsylvania home explosion

A house explosion 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia killed four and injured two others on Thursday night.

Two people also remained missing after the Pottstown blast that sparked a heavy two-alarm fire, obliterated one home and left surrounding houses decimated, photos showed.

“We are receiving information that there may be two people unaccounted for,” Justin Keller, Pottstown Borough Manager said at a brief press conference broadcast by WTXF-TV.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police and Red Cross were on the scene, in addition to local authorities, Keller said.

A drone photo of the scene showed a lot in a dense neighborhood littered with debris where a house once stood and neighboring structures looking unstable.

The explosion was felt miles away, witnesses said.

“We thought that either an earthquake was happening or that someone crashed into the building,” Kaite Washabaugh, who lives down the street, told the Fox affiliate.

A gas explosion was believed to be the cause of the disaster, which occurred after 8 p.m., officials told KWY-TV.