Plum community coming together to help family whose house exploded

PLUM, Pa. — The Plum Borough community is reeling — trying to process how a young family of five is alive tonight after surviving a massive house explosion that leveled the property.

PHOTOS: Fire crews respond to house explosion in Plum

“This is an example of if there’s a God, he was there that day with this family,” said Harry Schlegel, mayor of Plum Borough.

Channel 11 was there as fire crews shut down and surrounded Hialeah Drive.

They were called to the Plum neighborhood Friday night after a house burst into flames — sending debris everywhere and damaging two neighboring houses.

Neighbor Greg Fischer lives right across the street.

He had never met the family who lived there until that evening.

He is just one of more than a dozen people who called 911 and ran outside to figure out what all the commotion was about.

“My introduction was the dad bleeding from his head being on our front porch, being with one of the kids, and I’m like, ‘What can I do to help? Come in the house,’” said Fischer.

Investigators say a family of five – including three young children – somehow got out to safety.

The 11-year-old son was playing video games at the time.

“I give him presence of mind that he climbed out of the basement window (although he) suffered severe burns on his back (and) was life-flighted to one of the hospitals,” said Schlegel.

Today a loved one confirmed that each family member experienced some sort of injury, but everyone has since been treated and released from area hospitals.

A spokesperson with People’s Gas told Channel 11 they tested their lines and found no leaks or any indication of a failure in their pipeline.

They will continue to cooperate with the Allegheny County Fire Marshal and authorities as they continue the process of figuring

out how this explosion occurred.

“This community really pulls together when there’s an event like this,’ said Schlegel.

The Plum Borough mayor also credits the local fire departments and emergency responders for their heroic efforts and fast work.

“I am so impressed. We are talking about volunteers from the Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department who came out here on a Friday night to save lives.”

The Plum Borough School District, where two of the three children attend school, told Channel 11 that they “are extremely grateful that the family was able to survive this unspeakable tragedy. As a district and a community, efforts are already underway to provide the love and support that will aid the family as they move forward and begin to rebuild what they have lost. We will be with them every step of the way.”

The family’s loved ones have set up a Go Fund Me account to help with damage and recovery efforts.

You can donate here: https://wpxi.tv/3K8JurC

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