PITTSBURGH — An explosion badly damaged a work van Wednesday morning in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood and sent the man inside to the hospital.
PHOTOS: Explosion damages Heating/AC van, 2 other vehicles
The ARS van exploded and caught fire in the area of Wightman and Woodmont streets, leaving debris scattered on the street. ARS is a heating and air conditioning company.
There were two technicians working in the truck, but only one was knocked off his feet. He is expected to be OK.
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"Said he pressed the button to unlock his door and it ignited something in the back, most likely propane and it blew him back into the hillside," tow truck driver Jeremy Runion said. He was one of the first on scene and spoke to the victim.
Channel 11's Renee Kaminski reported that two other cars were damaged when the explosion happened. The damage included shattered windows and significant dents. A house was also affected.
Witnesses told Channel 11 the technician, who we learned has only been on the job six months, survived because he was standing on the other side of the van when it exploded.
The incident is considered accidental, arson investigators believe a gas tank was leaking in the truck and sparked the explosion, according to Pittsburgh police.
The owner of the company told Channel 11 it could have been fumes from other equipment, including propane. He also said this was a first in his company's 50 years in business; the van had only been in use for about a year. No one else was hurt.
In a statment, Ron Smith, General Manager of ARS Pittsburgh #9001, told Channel 11:
"We are very grateful that no one was injured. We have proudly served this community for more than 75 years and never experienced anything like this, as safety is our top priority. We are actively investigating the cause of this accident."