4-year-old among 2 killed in central Pa. fire sparked by smoking, says coroner

A child and an adult were killed in a house explosion in York County on Monday morning, authorities say.

The York County coroner’s office late Monday night identified the victims as a 4-year-old boy and a 79-year-old man. Their names will be released on Tuesday, the coroner said.

The coroner’s office was dispatched to a home located in the 2400 block of Black Rock Road in West Manheim Township at 11:44 a.m. and found the man dead at the residence. His time of death was listed as 12:47 p.m.

Subsequently, authorities were notified that there was another fatality at a hospital related to the house fire, the coroner’s office said.

The child was pronounced dead at 12:28 p.m., soon after arriving at the hospital.

The Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal said the house fire was caused by “careless smoking,” as the 79-year-old man was using a wheelchair and smoking in an enclosed garage while on oxygen, which caused the tanks to explode.

The entire structure was heavily damaged, according to the coroner’s office.

There were other people reportedly in the residence at the time of the fire, and they were taken for treatment, the coroner’s office said. Their conditions were not reported.

The next of kin have been notified, the coroner’s report said.

West Manheim Township police and the fire marshal are investigating.