Mother and 6 Children Die in Pennsylvania Home Explosion

A mother and her six young children died in an explosion and fire that destroyed their home in central Pennsylvania on Sunday morning, authorities reported.

The incident occurred in Lamar Township, Clinton County, near Mill Hall. Pennsylvania State Police identified the victims as 34-year-old Sarah Stolzfus and her four sons, ages 11, 10, 5 and 3, along with two daughters, ages 8 and 6. Firefighters arrived shortly after reports of the blast around 8:30 a.m. but found the single-story house fully engulfed in flames, preventing any immediate search efforts. All seven family members were trapped inside and perished at the scene, police said in a statement.

Investigators suspect a propane leak inside the home sparked the explosion, though the exact cause remains under review. Officials noted that several exterior propane tanks near the property did not rupture and played no role in the incident. The home, a modest ranch-style structure on a rural road, collapsed under the intense heat, complicating the recovery process. Autopsies are pending to confirm the cause of death for each victim.

Neighbors described the sudden devastation. Christina Duck, who lives nearby, was eating...