Nursing Assistant Identified as 1 of 2 Victims Killed in Nursing Home Explosion as New Details Emerge

Officials have identified one of the two people killed in a nursing home explosion in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that also sent about 19 others to the hospital.

The Bucks County Coroner’s Office identified 52-year-old Muthoni Nduthu, a nursing assistant at Bristol Health and Rehab Center (also known as Silver Lake Nursing Home), as one of the victims who died following the Tuesday, Dec. 23, incident, according to reports from ABC affiliate WPVI, USA Today and NBC affiliate WGAL. The second fatality—a female resident of the facility—has not been publicly identified.

PECO Energy Company said its crews responded shortly after 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday to reports of a gas odor at the facility, located at 905 Tower Road in Bristol Township. While crews were on site, an explosion occurred, PECO said, adding that natural gas and electric service were shut off to the building to help ensure the safety of first responders and nearby residents.

At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said a preliminary investigation suggested a gas leak may have been the cause.

According to NBC Philadelphia, the facility has 174 certified beds and typically houses about 151 residents daily.

Bristol Township Fire Department Chief Kevin Dippolito said firefighters arriving at the scene encountered “major structural collapse,” with portions of the first floor falling into the basement and people trapped inside. Bristol Township Manager Randee J. Mazur issued a local emergency declaration, saying residents were pulled out through “windows, doors,” and were found “stuck in stairwells” and “elevator shafts.”

Dippolito also said a “heavy odor of gas” was present during the rescue effort.

At a Wednesday, Dec. 24, news conference, Bristol Township officials confirmed the two fatalities. Bristol Township Police Chief CJ Winik said 19 people remained hospitalized, including one person in critical condition, and added that officials had accounted for everyone following the collapse.

Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing. Dippolito noted that heavy machinery was being used to excavate the area as part of the investigative process. He also said he could not confirm whether there was a persistent smell of gas before the utility crew arrived, and added that his department had not received prior reports of a gas leak.

Winik praised the work of first responders, describing the rescue operation as exceptionally dangerous given the conditions at the scene.

Nduthu’s eldest son, Clinton Ndegwa, told The New York Times that his mother, originally from Kenya, had been looking forward to spending the Christmas holidays with family in North Carolina. He said relatives tried to reach her after learning about the explosion but she did not answer, and the family later learned she had died Tuesday evening. Ndegwa also said the family had not yet been able to claim her body due to the investigation.

In a statement shared Wednesday, Gov. Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania flags at Commonwealth facilities, buildings and grounds in Bucks County would be lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims. Bucks County officials also issued condolences and commended the emergency response.