A man from Pennsylvania is facing serious charges after allegedly trying to blow up his own home by leaving lit candles inside while a gas leak filled the house. Neil Yetsko, 39, from Plum, Pennsylvania, was arrested and is now being held without bail.
The incident began on November 16, when Yetsko reported a gas leak at his home on Old Leechburg Road. However, police say he had already left town the day before and intentionally left two candles burning inside the house. Workers from Peoples Gas arrived at the scene, smelled the gas, and quickly shut off both the gas and electricity. Firefighters were then called in to secure the home.
Later that day, Yetsko returned to his house. His behavior and shifting explanations for the gas leak raised eyebrows. According to Allegheny County Fire Marshal Don Brucker, something seemed off, and police were called in to investigate further.
When detectives spoke with Yetsko for the first time on November 18, he claimed the gas leak might have been an accident. He said he had moved the stove to clean it after spilling food and possibly caused damage to the gas lines. He also claimed a friend discovered the gas leak while visiting his house and informed him.
However, the evidence told a different story. Peoples Gas records revealed that gas usage didn’t spike on the day Yetsko claimed to have moved the stove. Instead, the increase happened on November 15, the day before he left town. To make things more suspicious, investigators couldn’t find any phone records to back up Yetsko’s claim that he called a friend for help.
The neighborhood was also alarmed by the gas smell. Alivia Cooper, a next-door neighbor, said Yetsko had called her father that morning about the gas leak. Unfortunately, her father was at work and couldn’t check on the situation. Initially, everyone blamed Peoples Gas for the leak, not realizing what was really happening.
On December 4, Yetsko sat down with police for another interview, and this time, his story took a shocking turn. According to court documents, Yetsko admitted he caused the gas leak on purpose. He explained that he hit his hand on the stove in anger, then struck the stove and yanked at the gas lines. Yetsko confessed he could hear the gas leaking and admitted he sat on the floor for an hour, hoping the house would explode with him inside. He also said leaving the candles burning was an accident.
The revelation left his neighbors stunned. Alivia Cooper expressed her disbelief, saying, “He was a friend of ours. We had him over for parties and holidays, and he could have killed us all.” She added, “It feels awful because you know he was probably struggling, but this was so dangerous.”
On December 27, Yetsko was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including three counts of attempted arson. These charges include trying to blow up an unoccupied building, reckless endangerment of occupied buildings, and attempting to collect insurance money. He was also charged with causing or risking catastrophe.
Currently, Yetsko is being held at the Allegheny County Jail. Authorities have determined he poses a danger to both himself and the public. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 8.
