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Cambria County man arrested after explosive materials found in home

SOUTH FORK, Pa. — A South Fork man was arrested Friday after police said he detonated two explosive devices in South Fork Borough on Thursday, and explosive materials were later found in his home.

Mark Stephen Yatsky, 57, was charged with felony unlawful possession or manufacture of weapons of mass destruction and misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, and prohibited offensive weapons.

South Fork police went to Yatsky’s home on Friday in the 200 block of Highway Street while conducting an investigation into the explosions the prior evening, and saw a suspected explosive device on the back porch of the home, with end caps, a coffee can with scrap metal, and what appeared to be sticks of dynamite.

Yatsky was detained and found in possession of a glass smoking pipe, a wooden smoking pipe and a wooden container of marijuana.

State police arrived and the learned that Yatsky had recently purchased dynamite and detonated two explosives in the area of the Maple Street bridge

Police said it is believed that Yatsky detonated the devices as a matter of personal enjoyment and did not have any specific intent to cause injury to any persons or damage to any property; however, damage was observed on the Maple Street bridge.

Troopers also served a search warrant on Yatsky’s home, and seized several explosives-related materials and a glass smoking pipe. Homes in the surrounding area were cleared Friday afternoon as a precaution while the State Police Hazardous Device and Explosives Section responded to deal with the explosives found in Yatsky’s home.

Yatsky was then taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center for treatment of a medical condition.