Explosion rocks Pennsylvania nursing home leaving residents trapped as rescue crews respond
The explosion happened Tuesday afternoon at the Silver Lake Nursing Home
An explosion at a nursing home in Pennsylvania has left residents trapped as rescue crews rush to find possible victims of the fiery blast.
The explosion happened Tuesday around 2 p.m. ET at the Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol Township, about 30 minutes northeast of Philadelphia.
“We understand that there are people trapped inside,” said Ruth Miller, a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency spokesperson, per The Associated Press. The AP has described the incident as a gas explosion.
Emergency crews raced to the 174-bed facility to search for people who may have gone missing in the blast. Video footage from local outlets showed cop cars, ambulances and fire trucks with flashing lights.
WPVI’s cameras filmed flames and black smoke billowing from the nursing home. There was structural damage to the building, including blown out windows and a roof that had collapsed.
The Upper Makefield Township Police Department has called the explosion a “mass casualty incident.”
“Please avoid that area of Bucks County as there is a large emergency personnel response,” the department wrote on Facebook.
Lieutenant Sean Cosgrove with Bristol Township police told Levittown Now that residents were evacuated by emergency crews, staff and even bystanders.
It’s unclear how many people have been injured in the blast or what caused the explosion.
“I do not know if everyone is accounted for or not yet,” the officer said. “I’m not aware of any critical injuries but there definitely were injuries.”
State Representative Tina Davis, whose district includes the nursing home, recalled that she saw as she approached the chaotic scene in her car.
“I saw smoke and I saw car after car after car was a fire truck or ambulance from all over the city, from all over,” Davis said, per the AP.
Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, said emergency officials were describing the incident as a gas explosion, per the AP. But nothing has been confirmed yet.
The nursing home’s last fire safety inspection was in September 2024, and it has not received any fire safety or emergency preparedness citations, according to Medicare.gov. But the facility has an overall 1-star rating with health inspections considered “mush below average.”
The Independent has reached out to the Bristol Township police and fire departments as well as the Upper Makefield Township Police Department for comment.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, wrote on X that he has been briefed on the incident “and my Administration is in contact with local officials and first responders on the ground.”
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Pennsylvania State Police “have offered their full support and any resources needed,” Shapiro said.
“The scene is still active, and folks nearby should follow the direction of local authorities. Please join Lori and me in praying for the Bristol community.”
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who represents Bristol Township, said he and his team “are closely monitoring developments as authorities work to secure the scene and care for those affected.”
“For everyone’s safety, I urge you to please 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,” the congressman added.
Conservative commentator Nick Sortor reacted to the explosion, writing, “So sad to see this happen so close to Christmas. Prayers up!”
“This is just terrible. Please pray,” Benny Johnson, another MAGA influencer, wrote.
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