Propane explosion destroys Monroe County home

Oct 5, 2020

Coolbaugh Township, PA — A propane leak caused an explosion and fire that destroyed a Monroe County home Sunday afternoon, officials said.

The homeowners were at work and escaped injury, Coolbaugh Township fire Chief Bill Weimer Jr. said.

Firefighters were called to 8500 Bumble Bee Way in the Pocono Country Place development shortly after 12:30 p.m. when a neighbor reported the blast.

Weimer said the first firefighters to arrive found the home off its foundation with windows on all four walls blown out. There was initially little sign of fire.

“It changed drastically within about a minute and a half,” he said.

With a steady supply of air through the broken windows, the fire quickly grew and consumed the house, Weimer said.

The state police fire marshal determined the cause of the explosion was propane leaking from a damaged line, Weimer said.