Police: Bomb Making Lab Found Inside Home Where Explosion Happened

Authorities arrested the man they say is responsible for the explosion at an early morning Magnolia Hill residence in Bristol Township section of Levittown.

Thomas Piscione, 30, was charged Monday afternoon with risking catastrophe, and recklessly endangering another person. Pisconie was arraigned by District Court Judge Robert Wagner, who set bail at 10 percent of 1 million dollars.

The explosion, which occurred around 1:30 a.m. Monday morning, was heard for miles around the Levittown area and caused a stir on social media.

Levittown Fire Company No. 2 Chief Ralph Gumbert told Detective Tim Fuhrman there were “suspicious circumstances” concerning the fire and explosion at 5 Midwood Lane, according to court papers.

According to the probable cause affidavit, those suspicions extended to inside the home and the suspect’s “singed hair and black soot all over his face.”

Inside the residence, authorities wrote in court documents, a suspected working bomb-making lab was located in the back bedroom with precursor chemicals for bomb making.

As the chief with first responders from the Edgely and Fairless Hills fire companies took in the scene and secured it, Gumbert told responding Bristol Township officers  he believed Pisconie was “building a bomb.” Bristol Township’s fire marshal was notified and responded, court records say.

Pisconie told officers that when they arrived on scene with smoke billowing out into the streets that a propane tank exploded. Police said they found no evidence of a propane tank explosion.

Meanwhile the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) was notified and two agents arrived on scene to assist with the investigation, court records say.

After a preliminary investigation, authorities determined an explosion occurred inside the home with the blast zone being in the area of a brick fire place, investigators say.

The blast, according to authorities and witnesses, caved in part of the roof, blew out windows, knocked books of off shelving, popped nails and blew bricks out of the fireplace, leaving the living room filled with smoke burns. Acting Chief Lt. John Godzieba said windows on three sides of Piscione’s William Levitt-built house were blown out.

Police said in court papers that they found PVC pipe, galvanized steel pipes and ball bearings in the house. Those items are commonly used to make pipe bombs.

Pisconie said during interviews with investigators that he interested in chemicals and that it was a “hobby” for him, noting he recently purchased exploding targets and detonating them in his home. The suspect admitted, according to court records, to blowing up the incendiary device in his fireplace.

Police said literature about explosives and serial killers was found in the house. Authorities added that they are not certain of Pisconie’s motive.

Court documents say Pisconie was attempting to heat Ammonium Nitrate in his fireplace at the time of the explosion.

“He may have been experimenting when the explosion happened,” Lt. Terry Hughes said.

The damaged housed, which Pisconie lived in alone, was under police guard all day. Detectives returned with a search warrant in the late afternoon. Hughes said the detectives were planning to collect evidence and firearms they believed were in the home.

The suspect was taken to Lower Bucks Hospital following the blast, according to court documents. The 30-year-old suffered no serious injuries.

Pisconie was sent to county jail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of Wagner on June 3.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.