MIFFLINBURG -- A faulty valve in an electric water heater caused the early Sunday morning explosion that rocked a Market Street home, a state police fire marshal said Monday.
Fire marshal Norman Fedder said the blast was accidental and added that it occurred when a pressure release valve failed and caused a buildup of pressure in the water heater.
The appliance exploded in the basement of 424-426 Market St., blowing out windows, breaking cement in the basement and tearing a hole in the first floor of the building. The second story also had heavy damage.
Darlene Davis, 54, the first-floor tenant, was home at the time of the explosion. She managed to escape unharmed by crawling out a window at the back of the building with help from her neighbors.
Heather Bierly, 29, who lived on the second floor, was not home at the time.
The building is owned by 27-year-old Eric Tice, of Lewisburg. It is not known if Mr. Tice has insurance. Damage was estimated at $83,000.
Megan Owens, 26, who lives across the street from the building, said she and her husband, Joshua, 26, and their young children were waking up when they heard the blast.
"All we heard was a loud explosion," she said. "I thought maybe a car hit a house or something like that. That's kind of what it sounded like."
Other neighbors described the explosion to be much like an earthquake and said it shook their houses.
Mrs. Owens said her husband ran outside with another neighbor to see if anyone was in the building while she called 911.
"My husband and the neighbor ran over to help," she said, adding that he and the other neighbor guided Ms. Davis to the back of the house and pulled her out of a window.
She suffered only minor scratches and cuts.
Although it is uncommon for electric water heaters to overheat and explode, Brian Capp, who owns a heating and plumbing business near Mifflinburg, said they can explode when safety mechanisms do not work.
In this case, a temperature pressure release valve was found to be faulty.
Mr. Capp explained that a temperature pressure release valve allows an electric water heater to expel water and release pressure when needed. The temperature release valve works in conjunction with the thermostat. The thermostat monitors the temperature of the water heater and shuts it down when it gets too hot.
A faulty thermostat will allow a water heater to create steam and a stuck or malfunctioning temperature pressure release valve will not allow the steam to escape, causing a buildup of pressure that can result in an explosion.
A structural engineer was expected to determine Monday whether the building was sound enough for tenants to enter and retrieve their belongings.
Homepage
Related Photos
Faulty valve to blame
It wouldn't release pressure, official says
- News
-
-
State board approves table games at Valley Forge casino
VALLEY FORGE — A casino resort scheduled to open this spring in the Philadelphia suburb of Valley Forge has been approved for table games.
-
Doctors telling more adults: Get out and exercise
ATLANTA — A new study shows more and more U.S. adults are being told by their doctor to get off their duffs and exercise. A government survey found nearly 33 percent of adults who saw a doctor in the previous year said they were told to exercise. That was up from about 23 percent in 2000.
-
Former Northumberland County judge and three others die in Florida crash
EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. -- A former Northumberland County judge was one of four people killed Wednesday afternoon when their car collided with a van at an intersection, according to the Naples News. The victims were identified as James J. Rosini, 66, William J. Rosini, 68, Patricia C. Rosini, 65, all of Coal Township, Pa., and Deborah A. Korbich, 59, of Elysburg, Pa.
-
Warden demotes four bosses
SUNBURY -- Northumberland County Prison Warden Roy Johnson was able to trim about $135,000 in expenses by demoting four supervisors. He said Wednesday that he found a way to cut costs without laying off any staff. "I cut out 120 hours of supervisors' pay each week, but I need to fill the correction officer positions," Johnson said.
-
DJ pumps up audience
Every Tuesday evening, Richard Grogg can be found spinning tunes at possibly the most well-attended dance in Snyder County. A resident at the Selinsgrove Center since 1988, the 57-year-old said the thing he likes most about selecting and playing music is "making people happy." "Some people come up and ask for requests," he said.
-
Agency closes adult center
PENNS CREEK -- Union and Snyder County caregivers have had to look farther and wider for another program that can offer respite because the Agency on Aging can no longer afford to provide the service. The adult daily living center at the Penns Creek Adult Resource Center was a helpful program each week to about eight adults from the area dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia. But it closed Dec. 30.
-
State board approves table games at Valley Forge casino
- Sports
-
Shamokin's Keemee Newborn and Shikellamy's CJ Tyler go up for a rebound during the second half of their game Wednesday night in Sunbury.
-
Shikellamy Braves pull away from Shamokin
SUNBURY — Tyler Pratt kept Shikellamy in the game in the third quarter Wednesday, scoring all seven of the Braves’ points. He then got some help in the fourth.
-
High School Roundup: Selinsgrove tops Jersey Shore
JERSEY SHORE — With the game tied at 32 at the half, the Selinsgrove boys basketball term went on a big run in the third quarter to open up the game and take a 65-56 Heartland Athletic Conference Division I win over Jersey Shore on Wednesday.
-
Shikellamy Braves rally to stay alive
SELINSGROVE — With 11 losses, the Shikellamy girls basketball team is teetering on the brink of elimination from the District 4 Class AAA playoffs. And on Wednesday night, it looked like the Braves were going to go quietly into the offseason when Selinsgrove built a 14-point lead early in the third quarter.
-
They learn to be tough young
It's difficult to recall exactly how the sequence unfolded because it happened so darn fast. Shikellamy made a couple baskets, and the crowd began to stir. It was still anybody's game, and the Braves had some momentum late in the third quarter of a recent run with Danville.
-
Shikellamy Braves pull away from Shamokin
- Entertainment
-
In this image released by Universal Pictures, the character known as The Lorax, voiced by Danny DeVito, is shown in a scene from the animated film, "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax." Universal Pictures' (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)
-
Forget the Happy Meal. 'Lorax' gets green tie-ins
LOS ANGELES -- The Lorax, perhaps the most famous anti-industrial crusader from children's literature, is about to become a big-time corporate spokesman. With a host of comercial tie-ins -- albeit for eco-friendly products -- Universal Pictures will begin promoting "Dr. Suess' the Lorax" This month.
-
The Valley Players to present 'Roses in December'
SUNBURY — The Valley Players will celebrate this Valentine’s Day season with Victor L. Cahn’s “Roses in December,” a play that illustrates the beauty of the written word. In a script crafted exclusively from a series of letters, a young official in a college alumni office, played by Carrie Gilbert of Selinsgrove, invites a celebrated but reclusive author, played by Fred Hooper of Selinsgrove, to his 35th class reunion.
-
'Halftime in America' ad creates political debate
DETROIT — People rarely pick a fight with Dirty Harry. But Chrysler's "Halftime in America" ad featuring quintessential tough guy Clint Eastwood has generated fierce debate about whether it accurately portrays the country's most economically distressed city or amounts to a campaign ad for President Barack Obama and the auto bailouts.
-
Forget the Happy Meal. 'Lorax' gets green tie-ins
