- A man who threatened a code enforcement officer with a gun in Pennsylvania spoke to police before barricading himself in his townhouse on Thursday afternoon
- Then there were ‘multiple loud explosions’ followed by a fire, Lower Providence Township Chief of Police Mike Jackson said, but it’s still unknown what caused the explosions
- Officers are still looking for the suspect, ‘who may or may or may not be inside the residence,’ Jackson said
- The fire burned for more almost three hours before firefighters got it under control
At least three Pennsylvania homes were engulfed in flames after a man allegedly threatened a code enforcement officer with a gun and barricaded himself inside following a brief interaction with police.
‘Multiple explosions’ erupted at a townhome complex in Lower Providence Township on Thursday afternoon after police responded to the scene and confronted the suspect, Police Mike Jackson said during a press conference.
Officers are still looking for the suspect, who has not been identified and ‘may or may or may not be inside the residence,’ Jackson said.
Stunning video from local news helicopters showed the raging inferno swallowing at least three abutting townhouses, causing at least one of them to collapse.
After the homeowner, who allegedly threatened a code enforcement officer with a gun, went inside the home, there was a loud explosion and then fire, police said
The flames raged for about three hours
The fire started in one home and spread to the neighboring homes
The code enforcement officer was following up on an inspection in an Eagleville home – about 25 miles outside of Philadelphia – shortly before 1pm when the homeowner took out a gun, police said.
The code enforcement officer ran and called police. Responding officers talked to the man outside, Jackson said, before he went back inside and the home exploded.
Firefighters wrestled with the inferno for nearly three hours until they got it under control.
Police were patrolling the area around the fire
The fire swallowed up the homes and caused the buildings to collapse
The flames jumped from one home to the next and caused parts of one of the homes to collapse.
The public was instructed to stay away from the scene, which was swarmed by SWAT teams and fire departments.
One person suffered minor injuries and is being treated at a hospital, Jackson said.
It’s still unknown at this point what caused the explosions.
Jackson said there is no threat to the public, but a large police presence will remain in the area for the foreseeable future.
