Pocono News Section

Home Explodes in the Poconos

Home Explodes in the Poconos - Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 5:43PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Wednesday, Jul 22, 2009 @ 05:43pm EST
JACKSON TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY - Multiple men are recovering from injuries after a town home in the Poconos exploded Wednesday afternoon. It happened in Jackson Township in the Village at Camelback just after one o'clock.

People who live in the Village at Camelback say four construction workers were renovating a town home in section C of the development when the building exploded. "The building was a pile of rubble," said Village Maintenance Manager Carl Karchner.

People who heard the explosion said it sounded like a bomb went off. Some people, who were more than a quarter mile away, said they felt the shake. Karchner explained, "It was unnatural. We knew something was wrong."

Karchner and Frank Ristine were both nearby. They rushed to the home. The men told Eyewitness News they saw three workers got out but one was trapped under the rubble. Ristine said, "He was just kinda yelling out in pain, just sheer like he's in torture."

Several other men joined them as they dug through the mess following the man's voice. While they dug they said a wall of fire raced toward them. Karchner said, [We] had a fellow with a hose trying to spray in between us and the fire." Ristine added, "It was probably a good twenty, thirty feet away from us and by the time they got him out it was almost on top of him."

The rescuers eventually found the trapped man. Karchner said, "He was all entangled in broken two by fours. There was an electrical panel box sitting right directly over top of him."

Rescuers said hey pulled the man out just before the fire reached him. Karchner said, "He was completely covered in blood so he's in for a long haul rehabilitation."

While the road to recovery may be difficult, the rescuers believe the ending could have been much worse. Karchner said, "I don't know how this could've ended if people didn't just come and help."

Officials haven't released any of the construction workers' names or who they were working for. They also haven't reported what might have caused the explosion.