Alma, NY — New York State Police said Tuesday a natural gas leak may have caused a fatal house explosion Saturday in Allegany County.
Troopers and other emergency responders were called to a home at 6326 County Route 18 in the town of Bolivar at 12:15 p.m. Saturday for a report of a house fire and explosion.
One body was recovered from the scene, troopers said Sunday. On Tuesday, they identified the deceased as Dan Michael Church, 71, a resident of the home.
According to an obituary published in Wednesday’s Times Herald, Church is survived by a wife and two children.
A natural gas leak in the crawl space of the structure may have caused the explosion, troopers reported, but the investigation is continuing. Tax records indicate the property was served by natural gas and had a crawl space.