Investigators: Stove possible cause of fatal South Beaver house explosion

Investigators are focusing on a basement stove as a possible source of an explosion that leveled a Beaver County home, killing a South Beaver couple.

Investigators found parts of the stove, said state police Fire Marshal David Jungling, but are looking for the bulk of it.

The explosion on Tuesday killed Ray Trautvetter, 74, and Janet Trautvetter, 69, who died of blunt-force injuries, Deputy Coroner Bill Pasquale ruled.

Jungling said it could take a couple of weeks to determine the cause of the explosion.

Police had said that investigators suspected it was fueled by a propane gas leak.

Jungling said investigators do not suspect foul play.

The Trautvetters had a propane-fueled furnace installed at their Louthan Road home in the fall, Jungling said, and as part of that work had the propane service consolidated from four smaller tanks to one large outdoor tank, holding possibly 500 gallons of propane. The couple didn't report problems with the service since then.

On Friday, the Trautvetters told family members they wanted to get a basement stove connected to the propane tank. Jungling said it's not known whether the work was done.

The presence of police, firefighters, family members and state and insurance investigators has kept people at the property, South Beaver Police Chief Dan McClean said, and police had no reports of looting. The blast scattered the couple's belongings over a wide area, including financial paperwork and family photos.

The road past the couple's house remained closed on Wednesday.

Bill Vidonic is a Trib Total Media staff writer. He can be reached at 412-380-5621 or bvidonic@tribweb.com.