Roads to reopen around Allentown car explosion site

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Roads may reopen around Allentown explosion site. Matt O'Donnell reports during Action News Mornings on October 3, 2018.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- Four days after a deadly car explosion in Allentown, officials say the roads around the blast site could reopen as investigators continue to search for answers.

The roads could open back up as soon as Wednesday afternoon. Allentown police tell Action News the 700 block of Turner and Hall streets, from Chestnut to Oak, still needs to be cleaned before pedestrians or cars can pass through.

Action Cam Exclusive: Cars towed from Allentown explosion scene on October 1, 2018.

Investigators are still trying to find out what caused the explosion around around 9:30 p.m. Saturday that killed three people, including a toddler.

Authorities have identified the three victims who were killed as reported by Christie Ileto during Action News at 11 on October 1, 2018.

Twenty-six-year-old Jacob Schmoyer, his 2-year-old son Jonathan, and 66-year-old David Hallman died Saturday night in the explosion.

Jacob Schmoyer's grandmother, Kathleen Pond, says there's no way her grandson would ever hurt people on purpose.

"If he was doing anything it was not intentional or was strictly curiosity and probably some bad judgment," she said.

She also says his son was the most important thing in his life.

"He loved his son, so I can't believe he would put his son in harm's way," said Pond.

The blast is being called a "criminal incident" being probed by federal, state and local authorities.

"We know there's been a criminal incident," District Attorney James Martin told reporters at a news conference Sunday. "We have a high degree of confidence that the perpetrator was probably killed in the incident."

Action News has also learned the debris from the scene was sent to a lab in Maryland to help determine what caused the blast. Those results could come later this week.