Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Mingson Lau, Marc Levy and Mark Scolforo at The Associated Press is the basis of this AI-assisted article.
A powerful explosion at a Pennsylvania nursing home killed two people and injured 20 others on Tuesday, with investigators examining whether a gas leak caused the blast that occurred shortly after a utility crew responded to reports of a gas odor.
Some key facts:
• Two people died in the explosion at Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania — one resident and one employee, both women.
• Twenty people were hospitalized, with 19 still hospitalized as of Wednesday and one person in critical condition.
• The explosion occurred Tuesday afternoon at the 174-bed facility, located about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia, shortly after a utility crew responded to gas odor reports.
• Emergency responders conducted chaotic rescues, finding people trapped in stairwells and elevator shafts, and pulling residents from windows and doors amid flames, smoke and a second explosion.
• State records show the facility was cited for multiple violations during its October inspection, including issues with floor plans, stairways, fire extinguishers and lacking required smoke barrier partitions.
• Medicare’s overall rating of the facility is listed as “much below average,” with particularly poor ratings for health inspections.
• The nursing home recently became affiliated with Saber Healthcare Group and was previously known as Silver Lake Healthcare Center. Saber called the explosion “devastating” in a statement and said facility personnel promptly reported the gas odor to PECO before the blast. The company said it was cooperating with authorities to ensure the safety of residents, staff and the surrounding community.
• The local gas utility PECO shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility, and investigators from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission are examining the site to determine the cause.
READ MORE: Investigators sift through wreckage after a deadly Pennsylvania nursing home explosion
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