Updated: 6:35 p.m. Wednesday December 24, 2025:
PECO officials Wednesday afternoon for Lower Bucks Source our reporting there were in fact work crews on site at the Silver Lake Nursing Home before Tuesday’s eruption.
A PECO spokesperson said the energy company issued statements to news organizations shortly after the blast:
” (Italics Ours) Shortly after 2 p.m., PECO crews responded to reports of a gas odor at the Silver Lake Nursing Home at 905 Tower Road in Bristol Township, Bucks County. While crews were on site, an explosion occurred at the facility. PECO crews shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents.”
The statement, reflects information LBS gathered in the hours after the blast at the nursing facility, however, doesn’t detail, that a PECO employee was in the building with a nursing facility employee at the time of the explosion.
Those two individuals amazingly did not suffer threatening injuries the sources said.
PECO said Wednesday:
“(Italic Ours) We are a party to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation. We are fully cooperating with the NTSB and according to the NTSB rules, we are not permitted to comment on this matter.
Original Story
Bristol Township authorities held a press conference across the street from the site of Tuesday’s explosion at the Silver Lake Nursing Home saying the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Chief of Police C.J. Winik and Fire Marshal/Emergency Manager Kevin Dippolito said one facility employee and one resident died in the explosion, which caused the building’s first floor to collapse into the basement.
Both Winik and Dippolito declined comment on information Lower Bucks Source (LBS) received from sources that said prior to the explosion, a PECO work crew was dispatched to the nursing home to investigate reports of gas coming from the building.
Credit: Jeff Bohen Lower Bucks Source
“I can’t comment on that” Winik said.
On follow-up a short time later, Dippolito said the same.
Sources told LBS that PECO was dispatched to the site just before the explosion and on site when the building ignited.
Calls to PECO on Wednesday were not immediately returned to clarify reports from LBS sources.
Credit: Jeff Bohen Lower Bucks Source
For the moment township Winik said federal investigators are leading the investigation (ATF) treating the case as a “criminal event until it isn’t criminal.”
The facility passed its most recent township inspection in January of 2025, and had no recent gas-related fire company visits, Dippolito said, adding the facility goes through a number of inspections by state and federal authorities.
Dippolito said heavy machinery will remain at the site, removing the walls and roofs that collapsed. He said until they are removed “we won’t have any idea what may have occurred in there. We’re hoping to make significant progress today.”
Officials confirmed the heroic efforts made by Bucks County Rescue Squad personnel who called 911 moments after the facility exploded. Their headquarters is on King Street adjacent to the structure.
“It was an incredible response” by Bucks County Rescue Squad providers, Winik said, in an “overwhelming” situation.
A Bristol Twp Police Sgt, it was noted, was seen rescuing two individuals – one on each shoulder – simultaneously, Winik confirmed, but could not release that officer’s name due to his involvement working on highly sensitive investigations.
Officials said 19 were injured, and notifications were made to the families of the two who died. However, they were not releasing the names at the moment, saying the Philadelphia and Bucks County Coroner offices will release those names soon.
“Bristol Township is one of those types of communities where everyone comes together,” Winik said. “It was a tremendous effort from everyone in Bucks County.”
There were a total of 100 residents in the facility at the time of the explosion, officials said, but it was unclear as of press time how many employees were on the clock at the time of the explosion.
The explosion happened around 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, and it was deemed a mass casualty event with first responders county-wide called to the scene.
Governor Josh Shapiro visited the site late Tuesday afternoon, officials said, to survey the damages done.
The investigation could take several days, Dippolito said, but he hopes the source of the explosions will be identified soon.
“Hopefully by 3 p.m., but we don’t know. We’re in there and we’re going to keep digging, get to the source of the explosion and find out.”
Saber Healthcare, renamed it Bristol Rehab & Health, after purchasing the nursing care facility about a year ago, officials said.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” Winik said.
Township officials said, if there are any more press conferences to be held, the public will be notified through the media.
An image of blown out windows from the blast from corner of King and Apple Sts
Credit: Jeff Bohen Lower Bucks Source
Nursing facility beds in the parking lot area after the explosion Tuesday.
Credit: Jeff Bohen Lower Bucks Source
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