An explosion and ensuing fire at a Bristol Township, Pa., nursing home on Tuesday afternoon killed two people and injured at least 19 others. The Silver Lake Nursing Home is located about 25 miles northeast of Philadelphia. Parts of the building’s first floor collapsed in the blast, temporarily trapping people inside, Bristol Township Police Chief CJ Winik said at a news conference Wednesday.

The dead were both women, one resident and one employee, according to Winik. A third person who was originally reported dead was later resuscitated at the hospital, he said. Nineteen others were still hospitalized on Wednesday, with one in critical condition. The nursing home’s owner company moved roughly 100 unhurt residents to other facilities it owned in the area, Winik said. The disaster could have been much worse, as many residents could not walk or talk, he said. The police chief praised rescuers for pulling victims from a burning building as the smell of gas still hung in the air.

What caused the blast? Responders noticed a strong gas smell following the explosion, authorities said. Bristol Fire Chief Kevin Dippolito said he could not recall the fire department previously addressing any gas leak issues at the nursing home, but he believed that a leak occurred in the facility’s basement.

Winik declined to answer some questions as the investigation into the blast was ongoing. The National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday said it was sending a team to Bristol to begin investigating the explosion. The township declared an emergency, allowing its officials to seek help from outside agencies. 

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