20 Hospitalized After Bucks Co. Nursing Home Explosion

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA — Two people are dead, 20 people have been hospitalized, and all residents and staff have been accounted for after a gas explosion at the Silver Lake Nursing Home on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

An initial report late Tuesday night stated that a third person had died, but that person was resuscitated at a local hospital, authorities said.

The two victims of the gas explosion at the nursing home in the 900 block of Tower Road have not been identified by the Bucks County Coroner's Office. Patch has reached out to the coroner seeking the identities of the victims.

PECO said it had responded to a gas odor at the nursing home shortly before the explosion, NBC 10 Philadelphia reported.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation, authorities said.

The incident began at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday. A three-alarm fire was reported, with damage to the building following a gas leak and explosion.

Bristol Township Police reported numerous injuries from the explosion as authorities tried to evacuate residents of the nursing home. The extent of those injuries was not known at this time.

Gov. Josh Shapiro was on the scene with authorities, providing the public with an update at a press conference on Tuesday night.

"We saw real heroism in Bucks County. Firefighters rushed towards danger to put out this fire and rescue people from the burning building, climbing up ladders to get people out of the fire and into the arms of police officers who then literally carried them on their backs to safety," Shapiro said. "It's the night before Christmas Eve, and still so many rushed out of their houses, away from their families, to help their fellow Pennsylvanians. They’re in our prayers along with the victims and their families — and the heroism they showed will not be forgotten."

Over 50 emergency personnel, fire crews, and police departments from Bucks and Montgomery counties, and New Jersey battled the blaze and helped rescue people from the gas explosion.

The now-named Bristol Health and Rehab Center

Bristol Township enacted a Declaration of Emergency after the gas explosion and building collapse.

Authorities also classified the scene as a Level 2 Mass Casualty incident.

Township Manager Randee J. Mazur said the explosion resulted in "significant structural collapse," risk of further collapse, and confirmed or suspected entrapment of persons within the affected building, posing an imminent and severe threat to life, health, safety, and property of residents, first responders, and the general public.

A declaration of emergency allows municipal officials to procure supplies, enter into emergency contracts, and incur obligations without regard to typical procurement formalities to expedite response and rescue efforts, consistent with a disaster.

"As this investigation continues in the coming days and weeks, my Administration will continue to work with local first responders and law enforcement to provide whatever resources are necessary to help the community recover and rebuild," Shapiro said.