Nursing home explodes in the USA and leaves people trapped in the rubble; 2 die

Emergency crews respond after explosion at nursing home in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania WPVI-TV/6ABC via AP An explosion at a nursing home outside Philadelphia caused part of the building to collapse, sending flames shooting outside and leaving people injured and trapped in the rubble, authorities said. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp The explosion occurred at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center, in Bristol Township, just as a service team was on site looking for a gas leak. The exact cause of the explosion, as well as the number of victims, had not yet been officially confirmed by the authorities. According to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, two people died, but the number could increase, as people are trapped in the rubble. A plume of black smoke rose from the nursing home as emergency crews, fire trucks and ambulances from across the region rushed to the scene, along with earthmoving machinery. See the videos trending on g1 Police Lieutenant Sean Cosgrove said residents had been evacuated by emergency crews. “Many details are still unknown,” he told reporters at the scene. Bucks County emergency management officials said they received a call about the explosion around 2:17 p.m. local time (4:17 p.m. EDT). Ruth Miller, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, said the agency was told people were trapped in the rubble. Gas smell The local gas company, PECO, said its crews responded to reports of a gas smell at the nursing home shortly after 2 p.m. “While crews were on scene, an explosion occurred at the facility. PECO crews disrupted the supply of natural gas and electricity to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents,” the utility said in a statement. Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, said investigators from the security division were on their way to the scene. Hagen-Frederiksen said first responders and emergency management officials described the incident as a gas explosion, but that will only be confirmed after the agency’s thorough analysis of the scene. Musuline Watson, who identified herself as a certified nursing assistant at the facility, told WPVI-TV/ABC 6 that over the weekend, she and other employees smelled gas, but “there was no heat in the room, so we didn’t pay any attention.” Violation of standards The nursing home, with 174 beds, is about 20 miles from Philadelphia. Its owner, Saber Healthcare Group, said it is collaborating with local emergency authorities. The institution was known until recently as Silver Lake Healthcare Center. The facility’s latest state inspection report was released in October and the Pennsylvania Department of Health found it was not in compliance with several state standards. The inspection report noted that the institution did not provide accurate floor plans and did not adequately maintain several stairwells, including storing several buckets of paint and a bed frame under the landings. The report also noted that the institution did not maintain portable fire extinguishers on one of the three floors and did not install mandatory fire partitions designed to contain smoke on two floors. Furthermore, it was found that oxygen cylinders were not stored correctly on two of the three floors. According to Medicare.gov, the facility underwent a standard fire safety inspection in September 2024, during which no notifications were issued. However, the facility’s overall Medicare rating is “well below average,” with low scores, particularly in health inspections.

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