New Castle explosion victims identified

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — An explosion of unknown origin at 12:25 p.m. today rocked the East Side of the city and sent three people to Pittsburgh hospitals.

Assistant Fire Chief Tom Bulisco said Columbia Gas Co. was checking to see whether the explosion that toppled the house at 831 Franklin was gas-related.

Bulisco said the man who lived at the house, Patrick Henry, 30, was found in the yard and a man and a woman who were walking by, Jared and Sophia Baker, were injured.   All three were taken from the scene by helicopter, Police Chief Tom Sansone said.

A hospital spokeswoman said tonight Henry was in critical condition and Jared Baker in fair condition at Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh.

A spokeswoman confirmed Sophia Baker was a patient at West Penn Burn Center, Pittsburgh, but the family has requested no information be released about her condition.

A fourth woman struck by debris was treated locally. Officials did not release her name.

Police said roughly 20 houses in a three-block area were damaged by the blast, some severely.

Sansone said the Henry lived alone. He said, given the time of day and the fact that children were off school, it’s “very remarkable that there were no more injuries.”

There were no complaints of gas odors before the explosion and no work crews were in the area at the time, said Columbia Gas spokesman Matt Pitzerella.