Propane blast levels Pennsylvania home, kills woman and injures man

JEFFERSON, Pa. — An explosion that leveled a home in northeastern Pennsylvania, killing a woman and leaving a man seriously injured, was apparently caused by a propane leak, state police said.

The blast in Jefferson Township, near Scranton, was reported around 2 p.m. Tuesday. It sparked a fire that sent thick smoke spewing high into the air and sent debris flying through the residential neighborhood.

A 75-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while a man was pulled from the home and taken to a hospital. Details on his condition were not disclosed.

The source of the propane leak and what caused it to ignite remains under investigation, state police said.