'It's tragic': Investigators continue to look for answers in Pottstown house explosion

POTTSTOWN, Pa. - Investigators are back on the scene of the deadly Pottstown house explosion. Nearly one week later, many questions remain about how it happened.

A pile of debris is all that’s left of 453 and 455 Hale Street, where four children and a grandmother lost their lives in Thursday’s massive blast.

"Very, very loud explosion, another one behind it and a third one. Glass flew out," next-door neighbor Tandra Rambert described the blast.

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Rambert, who survived the explosion, lived next door 14 years. The damage is so great to her home, she’ll never return. "To lose anybody, but especially innocent kids. this didn’t have to happen, if they would have, years ago, investigated this gas smell thoroughly," Rambert said.

Neighbors living near Hale Street and Butler Avenue say they’ve smelled gas for years and have complained to authorities, but never saw action taken.

Pottstown’s fire chief and his assistant are now confirming the department has been called to the area for the smell of gas, but are unclear about what came of it.

While PECO, who says the homes were not their natural gas customers, in a statement wrote:

"…we have not found evidence that PECO’s natural gas caused this incident."

Building inspectors toured homes in the neighborhood Wednesday.

"We may end up needing to replace the whole side of our house. That wall. And we have damage to our dry wall and windows," Mollie Heverly remarked.

As the investigation goes on with ATF providing what’s called a "heavy assist" for "cause and origin," politicians are coming.

Senator Bob Casey stared at the rubble with the county executive and area members of Congress. "Well, it’s just horrific to see this. This destruction is overwhelming."

Casey pledges federal help while neighbors grieve for those lost.

"It’s tragic, really," Heverly added. "Is there another word for it? It should never have happened. It should never have happened."