BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A massive explosion at a Pennsylvania nursing home killed at least two people and collapsed part of the building, trapping others.
The initial blast was followed by a second at Bristol Health & Rehab Center, formerly known as Silver Lake Nursing Home, in Bristol Township, in eastern Pennsylvania, seconds after the rescue crews had left the building, The Associated Press reported.
Hours after the explosion, fire officials were digging by hand and using search dogs to go through the rubble looking for victims. Earthmovers and sonar are also being used.
The first floor had partially collapsed into the basement, CNN reported.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called the explosion “quite catastrophic.”
Firefighters handed off people they pulled from the wreckage to police, including one officer “who literally threw two people over his shoulders,” Fire Chief Kevin Dippolito said. “It was nothing short of extraordinary.”
Some people were pulled from windows while others were rescued from staircases and elevator shafts, CNN reported.
Bristol Police Chief Charles Winik told CNN that 20 people were taken to hospitals with injuries, but did not say how extensive the injuries were. He also said all residents and employees were accounted for as of early Wednesday morning, CNN and WPVI reported.
The New York Times reported that at least one person was in critical condition and that three had been discharged.
Winik said of the two people killed, one was an employee.
A utility crew had arrived at the property before the explosion, looking for a gas leak, which, Shapiro said, preliminary findings indicate that the gas leak may have caused the explosion.
“PECO crews shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents. It is not known at this time if PECO’s equipment, or natural gas, was involved in this incident,” the utility company said in a statement to the AP.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is on scene but will not be able to determine if a gas leak was responsible until they can investigate the scene, the AP said.
The nursing home was sold to new owners earlier this month. The state Department of Health had visited the facility on Dec. 10, where the new owners shared that they had planned to “upgrade the standards at this facility,” Shapiro said. Specifics on the upgrades were not shared.
The home had been cited by the health department for not complying with several regulations in October, before the new owners took control. Some of the failings included not maintaining portable fire extinguishers on one floor, failing to maintain access to some stairways and a lack of “smoke barrier partitions” on two floors, CNN reported.
In 2024, a fire inspection resulted in no citations, according to Medicare‘s website.
Medicare said the facility had below average quality measures, much below average health inspections, but above average staffing.
Bristol Health & Rehab Center is affiliated with Saber Healthcare Group in Ohio, WPVI reported.
In a statement on the company’s website, Saber Healthcare Group wrote, “We are working closely with local authorities, and our primary focus remains on the well-being of residents, staff, and their families.” The same message was posted to the company’s Facebook page.
The facility offered:
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Short-Term Care
- Long-Term Care
- Hospice Care
- Respite Care
- 24-hour Skilled Nursing Care