Dover Township, PA – An explosion and fire at a Dover Township home last month was caused by a gas leak, according to police.
It happened just before 9 a.m. June 7 at the home of Charles Pike in the 5000 block of Carlisle Road, next to the Dover Area Animal hospital.
A state police fire marshal has determined the explosion was caused when natural gas leaked from a corroded gas line in the home’s basement, then was ignited by the pilot light in the home’s hot-water heater, according to Northern York County Regional Police.
The fire marshal has ruled the incident an accident, police said.
Pike left his home about five minutes before it exploded, according to son Daniel Pike, who co-owns the animal hospital with his brother, veterinarian David Pike.
The explosion knocked a wall of bricks into the clinic’s parking lot, but no people or animals were hurt, officials said.
What remained of the house has been torn down, according to police.