‘Catastrophic’: Shapiro confirms deaths after nursing home erupts in flames

🔥Two people were killed and more than 20 hospitalized

🔥PECO crews were responding to a reported gas odor when the blast occurred

🔥State inspections weeks earlier found safety violations at the facility

BRISTOL, Pa. — Cleanup and an investigation continued on Christmas Eve at the site of a Bucks County nursing home explosion, which Gov. Josh Shapiro described  as "catastrophic."

Shapiro confirmed that two people were killed at the Bristol Health and Rehabilitation Center.  The Bucks County coroner’s office identified an employee who died as 52-year-old Muthoni Nduthu. Authorities didn't immediately identify the resident who died. Both victims were women. Reports of a third fatality from Bristol police were premature as that individual was later resuscitated, Bristol Police Chief Charles Winik told CBS Philadelphia.

The chief said 21 people were taken to five hospitals for treatment. The extent of their injuries was not disclosed by Winik.

A wing of the facility that housed the kitchen and cafeteria was almost entirely destroyed, with the roof caved in, sections of walls completely missing and windows on adjoining walls blown out.

Utility company was at the facility before explosion

On Wednesday morning, heavy equipment was at the site of the Bristol Health and Rehabilitation Center on Tower Road. Gas utility PECO said workers were at the site around 2 p.m. Tuesday responding to a report of a gas odor when the explosion happened.

“PECO crews shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents. It is not known at this time if PECO’s equipment, or natural gas, was involved in this incident,” the utility said in a statement.

One worker sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the utility said.

6 ABC Action News reported that all of PECO's workers and the nursing home's employees and residents have been accounted for. Several residents had left the facility with family, and their whereabouts had not been immediately known.

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Utility commission probes cause

Investigators from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission went to the scene. Finding the cause of the explosion won’t be confirmed until the agency can examine the scene, a utility commission spokesperson said.

Shapiro said that the facility, formerly known as Silver Lake nursing home, was taken over by Saber Healthcare Group this month. The state Department of Health conducted an inspection on Dec. 10.

An inspection of the facility in late October by the Pennsylvania Department of Health determined that an accurate floor plan, known as a Life Safety Code Floor Plan, was not on file, which is supposed to include room numbers, the number of nurses at nurses stations, and arrows indicating emergency routes.

Stairways were also not maintained, portable fire extinguishers were not available on one of three floors and smoke barrier partitions were not maintained.

ALSO READ: Investigation underway after wood chipper death in Bucks County

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