• Explosion at Silver Lake Nursing Home leads to casualties and injuries.
• Two confirmed fatalities: a resident and an employee.
• Emergency teams engaged in search and rescue for trapped individuals.

An explosion at the Silver Lake Nursing Home in Bristol, Pennsylvania, caused major structural damage and sent emergency personnel rushing to the scene on Tuesday afternoon. The Bucks County dispatch received the first report of the explosion shortly after 2 p.m. EST, with initial assessments indicating possible injuries and several residents trapped inside, according to Reuters and BBC.

Officials later confirmed that a tragic outcome resulted from the explosion—two fatalities, including one resident and one staff member, while 20 others sustained injuries, with 19 still hospitalized, including one in critical condition. The nature of the incident has been described as "catastrophic," potentially stemming from a gas leak, according to ABC News and The Hill.

Emergency Management officials indicated that parts of the building collapsed, trapping residents and prompting immediate rescue efforts. Visuals from the scene depicted a chaotic emergency response, with firefighters and police on site managing the situation. The explosion occurred during the busy afternoon hours, escalating the urgency of the response, as stated by India Times and Reuters.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his condolences and emphasized the ongoing investigation into the cause, which is believed to be linked to a gas leak in the facility's basement. Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito highlighted the heroic actions of first responders who conducted life-saving evacuations despite the risks, demonstrating the severity of the situation, per ABC News and The Hill.