1st Lawsuit Filed In Fatal Bucks Co. Nursing Home Fire

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A partner of a Philadelphia firm said Monday that the fatal gas explosion that killed two people at a Lower Bucks County nursing home last month could have been prevented.

A lawsuit filed by Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky PC. is the first one filed in the gas explosion at the former Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol Township last month that killed two people and injured 20 others.

Aidan Carickhoff, a partner with the Philadelphia firm, said the lawsuit filed against PECO in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court on Monday is on behalf of two nurses who were working in the Tower Road facility that day, a contractor, and a resident at the 174-bed nursing home when a gas explosion occurred on Dec. 23.

A nurse and a resident were killed in the blaze. A GoFundMe page has been launched to support the nurse's family.

Carickhoff said that the explosion could have been prevented had PECO worked to fix a gas leak at the nursing home.

"PECO knew about a gas leak for several hours before the explosion," he said. "They failed to evacuate people, and they failed to fix the issue."

PECO Energy utility crews were on the site responding to reports of a strong gas odor inside the facility before an explosion tore through part of the building, shattering windows and prompting a massive response from emergency crews.

Over 50 emergency units from Bucks and Montgomery counties helped rescue the 120 residents and staff at the nursing home.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the gas explosion.

Former health care aides Stacy Ballard of Bensalem, Davidetta Blay of Bristol Township, and Oreland resident James Broderick, an independent telecom contractor, were inside the building when it exploded and partially collapsed, Carickhoff said.

"They were eating lunch in the break room when the explosion happened, and the floor fell beneath them," Carickhoff said. He added that Broderick had identified the gas smell earlier in the day.

He said that a resident in a wheelchair also suffered injuries during the explosion when that person was eating lunch at the time of the explosion.

PECO issued a statement following the explosion, stating that it was cooperating with the NTSB in the investigation.

"Our hearts go out to the families and Bristol Township community affected by this tragic event. We remain steadfast in our commitment to work with the NTSB and local authorities, prioritize safety, and support the community during this difficult time," PECO said. "PECO is deeply committed to the safety and reliability of our natural gas system. We remain steadfast in our commitment to work with the NTSB and local authorities, prioritizing safety, and will continue to support the community during this difficult time."

See photos of the emergency response to the explosion

Morgan & Morgan — billed as America's top injury law firm — has also been hired by the victims involved in the explosion at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center, formerly known as the Silver Lake Nursing Home. Other law firms are representing the victims as well.