At least two people were killed in an explosion at a Philadelphia nursing home on Tuesday that collapsed part of the building and left others trapped inside.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) confirmed during a news conference that at least two people were killed in the explosion while firefighters were working tirelessly to reach people trapped inside, per the Associated Press (AP). For as many as five hours, firefighters were seen using search dogs and sonar technology to find those inside.
“The explosion happened at Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bristol Township, just as a utility crew had been on site looking for a gas leak,” noted the AP. “A plume of black smoke rose from the nursing home, as emergency responders, fire trucks and ambulances from across the region rushed there, joined by earthmoving equipment.”
According to USA Today, nearby residents said they could feel their homes shake in the wake of the blast. Local resident Joe Westergon described carrying six injured residents to safety.
“I was taking them over to the curb and sitting them down,” he said. “I was trying to keep them as calm as possible … They’ll live but they were pretty tore up, some were bleeding.”
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) urged people in a Facebook post to avoid the area.
“Please also join me in praying for the safety of the residents of the nursing home, the dedicated staff who care for them, and our brave first responders who rushed to the scene and ran toward danger without hesitation,” he said.
According to Medicare.gov, Silver Lake is a for-profit nursing home with 174 certified beds.
“The federal agency listed its overall rating, based on health inspections, staffing and quality measures, as ‘below average,'” per USA Today. “The most recent fire safety inspection took place in September 2024, which yielded no citations for fire safety and emergency preparedness.”
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