Three people were hospitalized after a fire and explosions tore through homes along Elk Lake.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, PA — A suspected propane cylinder failure sparked a house explosion Thursday morning in Wayne County, injuring three people and destroying three homes in the Elk Lake section of Clinton Township, state police and emergency officials said.
The blast brought a major emergency response to Sensentine Road near Waymart and left a quiet lakeside neighborhood dealing with collapsed structures, fire damage and debris. Investigators with the Pennsylvania State Police Fire and Explosives Unit said early findings point to a propane leak outside one home that later ignited. The investigation remained open Friday as officials worked to confirm the cause and assess damage to nearby properties.
Fire crews were called Thursday morning to the Elk Lake area after reports of a house explosion and multiple structures on fire. State police said three people were inside the home where the blast began. An 84-year-old woman told investigators she was in the kitchen when the explosion hit and part of the home collapsed. Her 63-year-old son was upstairs, but debris blocked the stairway. Police said the woman directed him to escape through a window. He climbed onto the roof and jumped to the ground. Her husband, who had been on the porch, also got away from the burning home.
Once outside, the family reported seeing propane tanks near the house burning as flames spread through the residence, investigators said. The fire destroyed their home and two neighboring homes, and several other homes along the lake were damaged. Earlier emergency reports said nine homes had some level of damage. All three people from the first home were taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton for treatment. Officials had not released their names or detailed medical conditions as of Friday.
Investigators said one of several 100-pound propane cylinders located outside the home may have failed, causing propane to leak before ignition. State police said two other propane cylinders are believed to have exploded after the fire began. Officials have not said what first ignited the leaking gas, how long the cylinders had been at the property or whether any prior complaints had been made. The Fire and Explosives Unit was called in to assist Waymart-area fire departments because of the scale of the blasts and the number of damaged homes.
The explosion shook a rural area known more for lake homes, narrow roads and quiet neighborhoods than large emergency scenes. Photos and video from the area showed heavy flames, black smoke and wreckage near the water after the blast. Neighbors told local reporters they heard a loud boom before seeing flames and flying debris. Emergency crews had to deal not only with the main fire, but also with the risk of additional cylinders igniting near the damaged homes.
The Wayne County blast came less than two months after a deadly propane-related explosion in another part of Pennsylvania. In April, state police said a mother and six children died after an explosion and fire at a home in Lamar Township, Clinton County. Investigators in that case said a propane leak inside the home may have caused the blast, while exterior tanks did not explode. The Wayne County case was different because investigators said the likely failure began with cylinders outside the residence.
No charges had been announced Friday, and officials described the Wayne County inquiry as ongoing. Investigators were expected to continue reviewing the burn pattern, the damaged cylinders, witness statements and the condition of nearby structures. Fire officials also were expected to keep documenting which homes were destroyed, which were damaged and whether any part of the scene remained unsafe for residents or investigators.
The immediate focus remained on the three injured residents and the families displaced by the fire. The full cost of the damage had not been released, and officials had not given a timetable for when the investigation would be complete. The next major update is expected after state police finish their review of the propane cylinders and the explosion scene.
Author note: Last updated Friday, June 12, 2026.