5 killed in U.S. house explosion

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and three others injured after a house explosion in U.S. Pennsylvania on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday.

First responders from the police and fire department arrived on scene after a report of the house explosion in Plum, a borough in western Pennsylvania's Allegheny County at around 10:23 a.m. Saturday local time (1423 GMT), according to a Facebook post of the county.

The post added that there were three structures destroyed and at least a dozen more damaged in some way.

Plum Borough Police Chief Lanny Conley said at a press conference Sunday morning that medical examiners had determined four adults and one adolescent child died from the explosion.

County Emergency Services officials told reporters that two people had been released from the hospital, while one remained in critical condition.

Gas and electrical services were temporarily shut off in the affected area out of an abundance of caution.

Officials said the cause of the house explosion is still under investigation.