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UPDATED: 7:26 p.m., Tuesday:
Officials confirm two people died and five were unaccounted for as of 7 p.m.
UPDATED: 6:36 p.m., Tuesday:
Search and rescue crews worked into Tuesday evening to comb through the rubble of a nursing home and rehabilitation center after a massive explosion caused a partial building collapse and left people unaccounted for.
The blast happened around 2:15 p.m. at the 174-bed Silver Lake Nursing Home and Bristol Health and Rehab Center on Tower Road.
The force of the explosion shattered windows and was heard miles away.
As of 6 p.m., an official at the scene, who was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed five people remained missing.
Bristol Township police Sgt. Sean Cosgrove said authorities are still working to verify the total number of people unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue.
“Everyone pitched in to evacuate residents,” Cosgrove said.
A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency told local TV stations that people are believed to be trapped inside.
A source involved in the rescue operation noted that search efforts are complicated by conflicting headcounts of patients and staff.
“The floor above went into the basement area,” the source said.
It remains unclear exactly how many people were inside the facility at the time of the explosion or the total number of those injured.
The incident was declared a mass casualty event, which led to ambulances from across the county to rush to the scene and local hospitals to prepare for an influx of patients.
Several victims were transported to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township, according to an official.
A reunification center was opened at Harry S. Truman High School.
James O’Malley, deputy communications director for Bucks County, confirmed a partial collapse of the building.
Heavy rescue equipment arrived as night fell to assist specially trained building collapse teams from around the region.
Crews from Montgomery County, Burlington County, New Jersey, and Philadelphia were called in to assist, O’Malley said.
By 5:30 p.m., large excavators were picking apart the rubble of the building as they searched for those who were missing.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene in the immediate aftermath.
Residents were seen laid out on the grass while law enforcement assisted a patient with blood on their face. One employee, who was in tears, was on the ground in a stokes basket.
One woman, appearing to be a staff member, told a reporter she was unhurt but was crying while searching for a co-worker.
Neighbors and staff from the nearby Lower Bucks Hospital joined responders in the evacuation.
“Our thoughts are with all those who may have been affected. Hospital operations were not impacted and the hospital remains open. We are working closely with local authorities and emergency response partners to support medical needs as appropriate. Our emergency department is prepared and available to assist. The health, safety, and privacy of patients, residents, staff, and families remain our highest priorities. We are committed to providing support during this time and will continue to coordinate with our community partners as efforts progress,” said Lower Bucks Hospital spokesperson Michelle Aliprantis.
Civilians were seen carrying elderly residents from the building and providing blankets and water as hospital staff brought over wheelchairs.
Firefighters worked to contain flames that broke out in the kitchen area and vented through the roof.
Crews were eventually ordered out of the building due to safety concerns.
While a former employee noted that the most visible damage appeared centered near the kitchen and an oxygen tank storage area, officials at the scene said it is too early to determine a cause.
The area around the nursing home smelled of natural gas following the blast and PECO crews were on-site.
The facility was recently purchased by Saber Healthcare Group. A spokesperson for the company was not immediately available.
Rescue crews from around the region staged in the neighborhood around the nursing home and in Lower Bucks Hospital’s parking lot.
Original Story:
Emergency crews are racing to locate missing persons following a large explosion at a nursing home Tuesday afternoon.
Several people were trapped and the building in danger of collapse.
Flames broke out in the wreckage around 3 p.m.
Responders received reports of the blast at the Silver Lake Nursing Home on Tower Road next to Lower Bucks Hospital at approximately 2:15 p.m.
By 3 p.m., a massive mutual aid response was underway as fire companies and ambulance crews from across the county arrived at the scene.
Search and rescue operations remained active as of 3:05 p.m., with officials reporting multiple injuries and an unknown number of patients and staff trapped inside the wreckage.
The force of the explosion caused significant structural damage to the facility.
First responders and police officers were seen using any available stretchers and to pull victims from the debris.
Neighbors and family members arrived at the facility in tears, seeking information on the whereabouts of their loved ones.
Authorities have not yet released the total number of injuries or confirmed the cause of the explosion
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