A man has pleaded guilty to one count of arson in connection with an explosion two years ago in New Castle that injured him and two other people and destroyed his home and part of his neighborhood.

Patrick A. Henry, 32, of New Castle, entered the plea yesterday before Lawrence County Common Pleas President Judge Dominick Motto. He will be sentenced in January.

Mr. Henry initially was charged with more than 100 criminal counts after the natural gas explosion on Nov. 27, 2006, at the home he rented on Franklin Avenue. Investigators said a flexible gas line to a basement water heater in the house had been unscrewed to release gas.

The blast destroyed more than a half-dozen houses and injured 14 people, including Mr. Henry, his former co-worker, Jared Baker of New Castle, and Mr. Baker's wife, Sophie. The Bakers had stopped by the house to check on Mr. Henry after he did not show up for work and were seriously burned and injured when it blew up.