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At least two killed as explosion rocks Pennsylvania nursing home leaving residents trapped

2025-12-24 01:59
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At least two killed as explosion rocks Pennsylvania nursing home leaving residents trapped

The explosion happened Tuesday afternoon at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center, also known as Silver Lake Nursing Home

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Possible gas leak causes explosion at Pennsylvania nursing home leaving residents trapped, reports say

The explosion happened Tuesday afternoon at the Silver Lake Nursing Home

Rachel Dobkin in New York Tuesday 23 December 2025 21:08 GMT
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A possible gas leak has caused an explosion at a nursing home in Pennsylvania leaving residents trapped, according to reports.

The explosion happened Tuesday before 3 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.

Emergency crews raced to the nursing home to search for people who may have gone missing in the blast. Video footage from local outlets, including Levittown Now, showed cop cars, ambulances and fire trucks with flashing lights.

WPVI’s cameras showed 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.

A possible gas leak has caused an explosion at a nursing home in Pennsylvania leaving residents trapped, according to reportsA possible gas leak has caused an explosion at a nursing home in Pennsylvania leaving residents trapped, according to reports (WPVI-TV/6ABC via AP)

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 fiery 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.”

The Independent has reached out to the Bristol Township police and fire departments as well as the Upper Makefield Township Police Department for comment.

Conservative commentator Nick Sortor reacted to the explosion, writing on X, “So sad to see this happen so close to Christmas. Prayers up!”

“This is just terrible. Please pray,” Benny Johnson, another MAGA influencer, wrote.

This is a developing story...

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