New Castle neighborhood rebuilds

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — There are few signs left on Franklin Avenue to tell the tale of destruction that befell this city neighborhood one year ago this week.

Homes on the 800 block are neatly kept and the only visible signs that something was amiss are the large tracts of empty land in the center of the block. That’s where a natural gas explosion at 833 Franklin occurred just after noon one year ago Tuesday.

That home and eight others were destroyed by the explosion or later demolished because of irreparable damage.

Authorities contend the natural gas explosion was deliberately set by Patrick Henry, a man renting 833 Franklin for only a few months, in a failed suicide attempt. Henry, who faces more than 100 charges, is awaiting trial scheduled to start in January.

“A lot of us still have a hard time believing this happened,” said Jonalynn Duffee, who lives at 842 Franklin.

For more, see Sunday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com