Suicidal man recovering after TV show about the Hindendburg inspired him to blow up his house

The man is still recovering from injuries in the Oct. 12 blast
The blast destroyed his home and damaged several others
He's been charged with arson and related crimes

PUBLISHED: 15:10 EST, 8 November 2013 | UPDATED: 16:27 EST, 8 November 2013

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A suicidal Pennsylvania man got the idea to blow up his house after watching a TV show about the Hindenburg, the German airship that exploded in 1937, police said.

The 47-year-old unnamed man is still recovering from his injuries in the Oct. 12 blast that destroyed his Moon Township home, about 10 miles west of Pittsburgh, and damaged several other homes.

Allegheny County police charged him on Thursday with arson and related crimes.

This picture dated 06 May 1937 shows the German airship LZ 129 'Hindenburg' bursting into flames above Lakehurst, New Jersey

Until that complaint was filed, investigators hadn't explained how the explosion occurred.

According to the complaint, the man was distraught following a phone call with his estranged wife, and was also upset about losing custody of his children and his shaky employment status following a stint in rehab.

Having attempted suicide by cutting his wrists days before, he was inspired to blow up his home after watching either a movie or documentary about the Hindenburg, police wrote.

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The hydrogen-filled zeppelin exploded on May 6, 1937, as it was being moored in Lakehurst, N.J., killing 36 people.

'This gave him the idea to blow up the house,' according to the complaint filed by Detective Jason Costanzo.

The man told investigators he broke a natural gas line to a basement fireplace, turned on a gas valve and went upstairs to nap, expecting something in the house would eventually ignite the gas

When that didn't happen, he woke up a few hours later and, attempting to light a cigarette, ignited the gas and destroyed his home, police said.

He was interviewed by police about two weeks after the explosion, according to the complaint.

Smoke and flames rise from the Hindenburg, a German airship which exploded on mooring at a naval air station on May 6, 1937, killing 36 people in New Jersey