An explosion rocked a nursing home in eastern Pennsylvania on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in at least two fatalities and several injuries. The blast, which caused part of the building to collapse, left people trapped inside, prompting a swift response from emergency crews.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro addressed the media on Tuesday night, confirming the tragic news of two deaths. He noted that several individuals were still unaccounted for and that updates were expected as rescue operations continued throughout the night at the severely damaged facility.
The explosion occurred around 2:15 p.m. at the Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol, approximately 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. This incident unfolded shortly after PECO energy service received reports of a gas odor at the location. Upon arrival, their workers were met with the devastating blast.
The Bensalem Volunteer Fire Department reported that the explosion seemed to originate in the building’s basement. Thick smoke billowed into the sky as emergency responders, including fire trucks and ambulances from across the region, rushed to the scene to combat the fire and provide assistance.
Following the explosion, PECO issued a statement confirming that their crews had taken immediate steps to shut off natural gas and electric service at the nursing home, ensuring the safety of first responders and local residents.
State and county emergency management officials responded to reports of the building’s partial collapse, with several individuals reportedly trapped inside. The rescue teams remain engaged in a desperate effort to locate and assist those affected by this tragic event.
As of Tuesday evening, the cause of the explosion remained unclear, as did the exact number of dead and injured. Roughly 150 residents occupy the nursing home, according to NBC News.
Gov. Shapiro said that new owners had taken over the facility at the beginning of the month, and that a plan had been put in place by the Department of Health to “upgrade the standards” of the nursing home.
The most recent health department inspection had been conducted on Oct. 29, and found the facility was not in compliance with several requirements of the Life Safety Code. The deficiencies included a failure to maintain proper stairways, smokeproof enclosures and portable fire extinguishers. It’s unclear of those issues had been fixed prior to Tuesday’s explosion.
Between 2012 and 2014, the leading cause of nursing home fires was cooking-related, though larger non-confined blazes were most often blamed on appliance and electrical issues, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
The nation’s deadliest nursing home fire occurred in 1957 when 72 people were killed at the Katie Jane Memorial Home in Warrenton, Mo., according to the Warren County Historical Society. That “15-minute holocaust” is believed to have been an electrical blaze caused by faulty wiring.
With News Wire Services
