NEWPORT, Pa. - Emergency crews are responding to a reported house explosion in Perry County early Wednesday morning, with Pennsylvania State Police confirming an active emergency operation in the area.

The incident is centered along Juniata Parkway East near Newport, where authorities closed the roadway as firefighters, police and other emergency personnel responded.

WGAL reported Wednesday morning that Pennsylvania State Police confirmed emergency crews were at the scene of a house explosion.

FOX43 separately reported that state police were handling an active incident on Juniata Parkway East and strongly advised the public to stay away from the area.

Information remained limited during the initial response.

Authorities had not publicly announced whether anyone was injured or killed as of the first reports Wednesday morning.

The number of people who may have been inside the home at the time of the explosion was also not immediately known.

The cause of the explosion has not been determined.

Authorities had not publicly identified whether investigators were examining a natural-gas leak, propane, an electrical problem or another potential cause.

There was also no immediate information about the extent of damage to neighboring properties.

Juniata Parkway East closed

Police closed Juniata Parkway East in the area of the emergency response while operations continued.

Officials asked motorists and members of the public to avoid the area rather than attempting to travel through the emergency scene.

Juniata Parkway East is designated State Route 1015 and runs northeast from the Newport area through Howe Township.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation records identify the roadway as a state route passing through a primarily rural and residential area near the Juniata River.

The road connects with several smaller local roads and ultimately provides access toward communities northeast of Newport.

A closure along the corridor can therefore affect residents who depend on the roadway for access to homes and surrounding communities.

Large emergency response

The designation of the scene as an active incident indicates emergency operations were still underway Wednesday morning.

House explosions can require a response extending beyond firefighting because crews may need to search collapsed structures, secure damaged utilities and determine whether additional hazards remain.

Investigators also typically work to preserve the scene once immediate rescue and fire-suppression operations are complete.

Officials had not yet said which fire departments or specialized units were participating in Wednesday's response.

Perry County's emergency communications system coordinates fire, rescue, emergency medical and police dispatches throughout the county.

The county's 911 center also receives Pennsylvania State Police calls for the Newport area before dispatching appropriate emergency resources.

Location near Newport

Juniata Parkway East runs through Howe Township immediately northeast of the Borough of Newport.

PennDOT identifies portions of Route 1015 in Howe Township as being approximately a quarter-mile to several miles northeast of Newport.

The surrounding area contains homes, farms, wooded land and municipal infrastructure along the Juniata River corridor.

Authorities had not publicly released a street address for the house involved in Wednesday's explosion in the initial reports reviewed by The American Desk.

That distinction is important because reporting an unconfirmed property address during an active emergency could incorrectly identify residents or neighboring homes.

Cause remains unknown

The circumstances leading to the explosion remain one of the most important unanswered questions.

No official agency had publicly attributed the incident to a specific fuel source, appliance, utility problem or intentional act as of the initial Wednesday morning reports.

Investigators will likely need to examine debris, utility connections and witness accounts before determining where the explosion originated and what caused it.

Depending on the circumstances, that investigation could involve state police fire investigators, local fire officials, utility representatives or other agencies.

No such investigative findings had been announced Wednesday morning.

Injury information still pending

Officials had also not released information about possible occupants or injuries.

The absence of immediately available injury information should not be interpreted as confirmation that no one was hurt.

Emergency officials frequently withhold casualty information during the earliest stages of a response while searches are ongoing and families are being notified.

Authorities had likewise not announced whether nearby homes were evacuated.

Public asked to stay away

State police urged the public to avoid the area while crews continued working.

Keeping unnecessary traffic away from an active explosion scene allows fire engines, ambulances, utility vehicles and investigative teams to reach the location without additional congestion.

Drivers traveling through the Newport and Howe Township area should be prepared for the Juniata Parkway East closure and use alternate routes until authorities reopen the roadway.

The duration of the closure was not immediately known.

Developing investigation

The incident remains in its earliest stages, and several critical facts have not yet been released.

Those include the identities or conditions of anyone involved, the extent of structural damage, the precise time and location of the explosion and its cause.

Pennsylvania State Police and emergency officials are expected to provide additional information as the scene is secured and investigators begin determining what happened.

The American Desk will update this story as authorities release confirmed information about injuries, damage and the cause of the explosion.