Crime & Safety

More Homes Near Deadly Pottstown Explosion Deemed Unsafe: Report

Pottstown officials said several homes near the home that exploded are unsafe for families to go inside.

Caution tape cordons off the scene of a deadly explosion in a residential neighborhood in Pottstown, Pa., Friday, May 27, 2022. A house exploded northwest of Philadelphia, killing several people and leaving others injured, authorities said Friday.
Caution tape cordons off the scene of a deadly explosion in a residential neighborhood in Pottstown, Pa., Friday, May 27, 2022. A house exploded northwest of Philadelphia, killing several people and leaving others injured, authorities said Friday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

POTTSTOWN, PA — Several homes near the Pottstown house that exploded, killing four children and one adult, have been deemed unsafe.

Pottstown officials told Action News that at least six nearby houses have been deemed unsafe/uninhabitable for families to go inside.

More homes could also be deemed uninhabitable, officials told the outlet.

Find out what's happening in Pottstownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The home that exploded was on the 400 block of Hale Street.

The explosion occurred at about 8 p.m. on May 26.

Find out what's happening in Pottstownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Killed in the explosion were Francine White, 67; Alana Wood, 13; Jeremiah White, 12; Nehemiah White, 10; and Tristan White, 8.

Two different GoFundMe pages have launched to benefit the family of the deceased. Links to those fundraisers can be found here and here.

Two others — Eugene White, 44, and Kristina Matuzsan, 32 — were injured, as well.

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The cause of the explosion is still unknown, and PECO has said the explosion does not appear to have been caused by natural gas as the home in question was not serviced by natural gas.

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