Bristol Borough Mayor Joe Saxton Passes Away, Services Announced

Updated Tuesday March 3 2026 8:15 a.m. 

The Monday evening three-alarm Bristol Borough fire that killed one, injured another and needed about 100 firefighters from area fire companies to battle it back remains under investigation Tuesday morning.

The name of the older aged woman who perished in the fire has yet to be released. Information about the person injured in the fire also has not been released.

A family member of the injured person who is in a local hospital said that his mother “seems to be ok.”

Borough officials said six homes were impacted by the blaze.

Credit: Submitted

Flames from the blaze caused the downing of power lines and caused sparking in front of the homes, leading firefighters to take on the the raging fire from the back of the homes.

A member of one the families impacted by the fire,  Hailey Jaye said on Meta early Tuesday morning that she and her family are ok. She described the experience as terrifying. She and her family are currently staying at a hotel, paid for, no questions asked, by her landlord.

” We also want to give a huge shoutout to our amazing landlord who stepped up immediately and made sure all of us had hotel rooms. That kind of support in a moment like this makes all the difference, and we are so grateful. ”

Original Story 

A three-alarm fire in Bristol Borough destroyed three homes and apparently took the life of at least one resident Monday night.

Bristol area fire crews were dispatched to 340 Dorrance Street to the fire with reports of possible entrapment around 6:10 pm.

According to first responders monitoring radio traffic, firefighters first on scene were able to locate a person living in the home who was determined to be deceased at the scene.

A second person was r

That person’s name is being held back by the publication because it is unclear whether family notification has been made as of publication time.

At about 6:25 pm a second alarm was called as firefighters tried mightily to contain the fire to one home, but since the houses are attached, the flames continued to spread with a third alarm called at about 6:35 pm.

Just as news of the fire began to circulate, Bristol officials announced the cancelation of Monday night’s Council meeting

First responders remain on scene investigating the cause of the blaze and were not immediately available for comment.

Updates are expected.

Snyder-Girotti Elementary School was first evacuated and then students sent home Wednesday morning due to a foul gas odor coming from the cafeteria area, officials announced.

Bristol first responders were called to the school by school district officials to investigate the report of a gas odor at the school.

First responders out of an abundance of caution immediately relocated students and staff to the Grundy Arena that sits on the other side of Beaver St, making for a orderly relocation as first responders investigating the gas odor reports.

Many parents posted or commented a desire for the school district to send students home for the day, reminded of the myriad of reports stemming from the nursing facility explosion and fire in neighboring Bristol Township just before Christmas. 

Shortly after students and staff were accounted for district officials decided to dismiss students and staff for the day while fire, emergency and code officials investigate the origins of the odor.

Of course sending students and staff home without the ability to reclaim personal possessions from the school will leave some parents and students unhappy.

One commenter under a social media post said she noticed gas odor about three days ago. Its unclear the odor smell was reported to officials.

There are approximately 615 students the elementary school.

Updates to this story are expected.

Updated: Saturday Dec 27, 2025, 4:15 pm

The trespasser struck by SEPTA Regional Rail Trenton Line train died as a result of their injuries, a SEPTA spokesperson confirmed for Lower Bucks Source early Saturday evening.

“I can confirm that the trespasser strike resulted in a fatality (male) and that service on the Trenton Regional Rail Line was restored as of approximately 3:45 this afternoon,” SEPTA said.

The Bucks County Coroners office will now have the job of determining whether not the incident was accidental or death by suicide.

Bucks County Coroners Office Transport Van on the 2500 block of Bristol Pike Saturday afternoon
Credit: Joe Nelson, Lower Bucks Source

A SEPTA  Regional Rail  Trenton Line Train heading into Center City struck  a trespasser on the tracks between the Bristol and Croydon stations at around 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

I can confirm a person was struck along the Trenton Line by an outbound SEPTA Regional Rail train between Bristol and Croydon Stations. The line is currently suspended until further notice, SEPTA Senior Press Officer John Golden said.

The condition of the struck individual is unknown, Golden said, adding updates will be provided once SEPTA has more information to disseminate.

Croydon Fire Co First Responders on scene after a trespasser was Struck by a SEPTA Train in between Bristol and Croydon Regional Rail stations Credit: Joe Nelson, Lower Bucks Source

The southbound Trenton line train is currently idle between the Bristol and Croydon stations adjacent to the Bristol Cemetery on Bristol Pike while Amtrak Police lead the investigation into the person vs train incident.

Firefighters from the Croydon Fire  Company and Bristol Township Police officers are on scene.

The Bucks County Coroners office is also on scene although no information about the struck individual or their injuries has been released.

Updates as they come in.

Credit: Joe Nelson, Lower Bucks Source

All images in this story are credited to Joe Nelson, Lower Bucks Source.