A mother and her six children, died Sunday morning after their home exploded and became fully engulfed in flames, with firefighters unable to enter the structure due to the intensity of the blaze, authorities said.
The children’s ages range from 3 to 11.
The victims were identified as Sarah Stolzfus, 34; her four sons, ages 11, 10, 5 and 3; and two daughters, ages 8 and 6. All seven were trapped inside when first responders arrived at the residence around 8:30 a.m., according to Pennsylvania State Police.
While the cause of the explosion remains under active investigation, police said preliminary evidence suggests a propane leak inside the home may have triggered the disaster. Notably, exterior propane tanks located outside the destroyed home did not explode and were not a contributing factor, officials said.
Neighbours described a sudden, concussive blast that preceded the fire. Christina Duck, who was eating breakfast at the time, told WNEP-TV that she felt the boom from inside her own home.
“I heard a boom and I could feel it,” Duck said. “I got up and looked out the window and I could see the flames through the windows. I came running outside, and within a minute the whole house was completely engulfed.”
Duck, who moved into the neighborhood only a few months ago, said she regularly saw Stolzfus’s children playing in their yard.
Fire crews who rushed to the scene in Lamar Township, roughly 90 miles north of Harrisburg, confirmed that the fire was too severe to allow any rescue attempt. All seven occupants died at the scene.
According to the New York Post, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit in Montoursville are leading the investigation. No further details have been released, and authorities have not indicated whether the home had functioning propane detectors or other safety measures.
