Explosion inside pest control truck destroys Washington townhouse
An explosion of propane tanks in the back of a pest control truck fed flames into a Washington townhouse, destroying the residence and damaging nearby units Friday afternoon.
No one was injured when the fire apparently started in the cargo area of the Orkin service truck as it was parked in the driveway of the townhouse at 119 Maple Terrace View.
The unidentified female resident was leaving her home when the fire started shortly before 1:30 p.m., while the Orkin worker was outside the truck and able to get away from the flames, Washington fire Chief Gerry Coleman said.
“He said he heard a ‘woosh’ or rush of air and saw a large fire coming from the rear of the truck,” Coleman said. “Obviously, it was some kind of malfunction.”
Coleman said Washington police officers arrived at the Washington County Housing Authority complex just before firefighters and began evacuating nearby residents. One officer was injured and needed treatment, Coleman said, although he did not know the extent of the officer’s injuries.
There were several loud bangs heard from the back of the truck as some of the five large propane tanks exploded, Coleman said. The rear of the truck was incinerated and most of the cab was charred.
“There was a large volume of fire inside the truck while the fire was being fed,” Coleman said.
An Orkin spokeswoman said they’re investigating the incident.
The three units conjoined to the destroyed townhouse sustained minor damage, and the residents there would likely stay the night in a hotel provided by the American Red Cross, Coleman said. However, he expected them to be able to return to their residences this weekend. The woman whose townhouse was destroyed was expected to stay with family, neighbors said.
Washington County Housing Authority Director Stephen Hall said they were also working to help anyone who was displaced by the fire at the complex.
“We’re offering, if they’re not able to get other assistance, to put them up in a motel for the next several days,” he said. “We’re still trying to find out if they have other places to go or other places they’d rather go.”
They are also working to find the woman whose townhouse was destroyed in the fire a new residence in the neighborhood, he said.
The state police fire marshal is investigating what caused the explosion inside the truck that led to the fire. Washington firefighters were assisted by departments from South Strabane, North Strabane, Peters Township, Canton Township and Bentleyville.