Emergency services have declared a mass casualty incident following a major explosion at a nursing home near Philadelphia, which caused a partial collapse of the building.
Emergency Response to Partial Collapse
The incident occurred at the Silver Lake healthcare centre in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, at approximately 2:17pm on Tuesday. Authorities confirmed that a section of the building collapsed, leaving an unknown number of people injured and trapped inside. A large plume of black smoke was seen billowing from the site.
Police from Upper Makefield Township warned the public to avoid the area, which is about 25 miles north-east of Philadelphia. Bucks County emergency management officials confirmed there were injuries but could not immediately provide information on potential fatalities.
"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," said State Representative Tina Davis, whose district includes the facility.
Cause Under Investigation as Evacuation Begins
While the exact cause remains unconfirmed, initial reports from first responders point to a possible gas explosion. Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, said safety division investigators were en route to the scene to determine the origin.
Ruth Miller, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania emergency management agency, confirmed her office had been notified that people were trapped within the damaged structure.
Local officials swiftly organised an evacuation plan. Jim Morgan, president of the Bristol Township school board, stated that district buses would transport nursing home residents to a reunification centre set up at Truman High School. Efforts were underway to provide beds, water, and other essentials, though as of 4pm, no one had yet arrived at the school.
Community and Official Reaction
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he had been briefed on the active scene and urged nearby residents to follow local authority guidance. "Please join Lori and me in praying for the Bristol community," he posted on social media.
Representative Davis expressed the community's sorrow, noting the tragedy struck during a hopeful time of year. "This is just something that is sad for everybody and the families and the workers that are there. I hope there's positive results from this. We don't know at this point," she said.
According to Medicare.gov, the 174-bed facility underwent a standard fire safety inspection in September 2024 and received no citations. However, the facility's overall Medicare rating is listed as "much below average," with particularly poor scores for health inspections.
The investigation into the explosion continues as emergency crews work at the site.
