Two dead as explosion causes partial collapse at nursing home as 'residents trapped'

Smoke rising from the Silver Lake Healthcare Center (Image: AP)

Two people have lost their lives following an explosion at a nursing home in Pennsylvania, with others sustaining injuries.

Black smoke billowed from Silver Lake Healthcare Center in Bristol Township on Tuesday, 23 December, roughly 20 miles (32 kilometres) northeast of Philadelphia, the Associated Press news agency reported.

At least two fatalities have been confirmed, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated during a news conference, AP reported. Authorities have not yet identified the deceased. The total number of casualties remains unknown. The Mirror reports.

Five individuals are still missing, though some may have departed the scene with relatives, the town's fire chief Kevin Dippolito told the news conference.

Dippolito explained that firefighters discovered people trapped in stairwells and lift shafts, and evacuated residents through windows and doors. Patients were passed to waiting police officers outside, with one officer who "literally threw two people over his shoulders", Dippolito said.

Fire officials confirmed they were in "rescue mode". Emergency personnel continued digging by hand whilst deploying search dogs and sonar equipment to locate potential victims.

Emergency management officials from Bucks County reported that a section of the building had collapsed, with the explosion reported at approximately 2:17pm. The cause of the blast remains unclear.

Ruth Miller, a Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency spokesperson, confirmed her agency had been notified that people were trapped inside. Residents were reportedly evacuated by emergency services, bystanders and staff members.

Police at the scene of the incident at Silver Lake Healthcare Center (Image: AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, stated that first responders and emergency management officials have described the incident as a gas explosion. However, this will not be confirmed until the commission can closely examine the scene.

State Rep. Tina Davis, who was near the scene, said: "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' district includes the facility and she mentioned discussions about using a nearby school as a temporary evacuation area.

She added: "It's just so sad - it's that 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," Jim Morgan, president of the Bristol Township School Board, revealed that officials were arranging beds and providing nursing home residents with necessities.

The Silver Lake Healthcare Center in Bristol Township, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia, was ranked "much below average" overall, according to Medicare.gov (Image: WPVI-TV/6ABC via AP)

He also mentioned that district buses would transport people from the home to a reunification centre at Truman High School, but no one had arrived at the school by 4pm. AP reported that the 174-bed facility underwent a standard fire safety inspection in September 2024 and citations were issued, according to Medicare.gov..

The care home received an overall rating of "much below average". The facility's performance is assessed across three key areas: health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures.