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Multiple injuries reported in Bucks nursing home explosion; gas odor reported shortly before incident

An explosion was reported Tuesday at the facility that was recently rebranded as the Bristol Health & Rehab Center.

First responders work the scene of an explosion and fire at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center on Tuesday.
First responders work the scene of an explosion and fire at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center on Tuesday. Read more
Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
What you should know

  1. An explosion and fire were reported at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bucks County on Tuesday afternoon.

  2. Multiple injuries were reported, but the number of people injured and the extent of those injuries was not immediately clear.

  3. Residents were evacuated by emergency responders, bystanders, and staff.

  4. The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. Peco said it had responded to the scene for reports of a gas odor shortly before the explosion occurred.

  5. The facility was previously known as the Silver Lake Healthcare Center, but was recently acquired by Saber Healthcare Group and rebranded.

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Explosion reported at a Bucks County nursing home

Emergency responders reported multiple injuries after an explosion rocked a nursing home Tuesday afternoon in Bristol Township in Bucks County.

Firefighters and police responded to the explosion and fire at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center, formerly known as Silver Lake Healthcare Center, at 905 Tower Rd.

It was not immediately known how many people were injured.

Shapiro heading to explosion scene

Peco crews were responding to gas odor when explosion happened

Peco said Tuesday evening that its crews had responded “shortly after 2 p.m.” to reports of a gas odor at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center on Tower Road — minutes before an explosion rocked the nursing home.

“While crews were on site, an explosion occurred at the facility,” Peco spokesperson Greg Smore said in an emailed statement. “Peco crews shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents.”

Bucks County emergency management officials said they received the report of an explosion at approximately 2:17 p.m., according to the Associated Press.

— William Bender

Timely investigations key in reconstructing explosion events

Daniel Purtell, whose law firm, McEldrew Purtell, represented the families of two victims in the 2017 Barclay Friends senior living complex fire in West Chester, said there are several possible causes of a fire in a nursing home, including those involving medical equipment, combustible gases and utilities.

He said preserving evidence at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center — and obtaining witness interviews before memories fade — will be key to reconstructing what happened.

“The timely investigation in cases like this is absolutely imperative,” Purtell said. “Was it electrical? Were there fuel sources? Were there sparks? Was there ongoing work in the facility? What in the facility is combustible?”

Relative describes feeling house shake, seeing windows blown out

The smell of smoke and sirens of both ambulances and fire trucks pierced the blocks surrounding the Bristol Health & Rehab Center hours after an explosion led to a mass evacuation of nursing home patients.

Kim Wilford, 60, was visiting family for the holidays, roughly two blocks from the facility when she felt the house shake, as though something had fallen on the roof.

When Wilford and relatives realized the explosion came from the nursing home, they rushed to the campus, where they were met with chaos.

Bristol Township Police: Multiple injuries reported

Authorities said there were injuries, but had yet to say whether there were any fatalities.

Bristol Township Police Lt. Sean Cosgrove said there were injuries, but that he wasn’t aware of any critical injuries.

“A lot of the details at this point are still unknown,” he told reporters at the scene.

Nursing home has been repeatedly cited, federal records show, and recently changed ownership

Federal records indicate the building had an automatic sprinkler system.

The 174-bed facility, comprised of low-slung brick buildings, sits on a two-acre campus in Lower Bucks County. As of 2024, Silver Lake housed 162 residents, more than 75% of whom were 60 years or older, according to the most recent inspection records. The facility had 129 full- and part-time staff members as of 2024, records show.

CommuniCare Health Services, a privately run for-profit nursing home operator based in Cincinnati, took over operations at Silver Lake in 2021. The facility was recently acquired by Saber Healthcare Group, and rebranded as Bristol Health & Rehab Center. Operators announced the new ownership and name in a Facebook post this month.

'Car after car after car was a fire truck or ambulance from all over the city'

State Rep. Tina Davis, whose district includes the center, said she got near the scene in her car but did not want to interfere.

"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.

She said there was talk of using a nearby school as a temporary evacuation area.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick urges residents to avoid the area

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents the area, said on social media that he had been briefed on reports of an explosion at the nursing home.

“My team and I are in direct communication with local officials and emergency responders, and we are closely monitoring developments as authorities work to secure the scene and care for those affected. We will continue to stay engaged and share updates as more verified information becomes available,” Fitzpatrick said.

“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,” Fitzpatrick said.

— Robert Moran