Gas Odour Reported Hours Before Deadly Nursing Home Explosion, Federal Investigation Finds
Federal regulators have confirmed that staff at a Pennsylvania nursing home reported the smell of natural gas several hours before a catastrophic explosion tore through the facility, killing three people and injuring approximately twenty others. The preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board provides disturbing new details about the timeline leading up to the December tragedy in Bristol, just outside Philadelphia.
Three-Hour Gap Between Gas Report and Devastating Blast
According to the federal investigation, a maintenance director at Bristol Health & Rehab Center detected the odour of natural gas in the basement on December 23rd and promptly contacted the local utility company. The report reveals that approximately three hours elapsed between this initial gas smell report and the thunderous explosion that would partially collapse the building.
Utility workers from PECO arrived at the nursing home just before noon, about one hour after staff first noticed the concerning odour. Nursing home employees had also detected gas smells on both the first and second floors of the facility, indicating a potentially widespread issue.
Utility Workers On Scene During Critical Period
The NTSB report indicates that utility personnel were present at the facility for much of the three-hour period between the initial gas odour report and the explosion. An Exelon energy technician, working for PECO's parent company, identified a leak originating from a valve in a meter set located within the basement boiler room.
Following this discovery, the technician called for assistance to repair the faulty valve. A meter services technician arrived at approximately 1:20 p.m. to address the issue. Tragically, the massive explosion occurred just before 2:15 p.m., while repair efforts were presumably underway.
Aftermath and Ongoing Investigation
The explosion claimed the lives of two nursing home residents and one employee, with about twenty people suffering injuries including one of the utility workers. The blast occurred just days before Christmas, adding to the tragedy's emotional impact on the community.
Part of the building collapsed during the explosion, trapping people inside as emergency workers, nursing home staff, and even medical personnel from a nearby hospital rushed to evacuate survivors. The report notes that Exelon, PECO's parent company, did not shut off the gas flow to the facility until nearly two hours after the explosion occurred, though investigators have not yet determined why this critical action took so long.
Company Response and Future Focus
In response to the NTSB findings, a PECO spokesperson issued a statement expressing sympathy to the victims, their families, displaced residents, and the broader community. The company acknowledged "the importance of continuous improvement and vigilance with respect to the safe and reliable delivery of electric and natural gas service."
Federal investigators plan to focus their continuing examination on several key areas including:
- Exelon's pipeline safety management protocols
- Training procedures and personnel qualifications
- Response protocols for odour complaints
- Other operational factors that may have contributed to the tragedy
Federal inspectors have already tested the gas line and related equipment, with some components sent to laboratories for more detailed analysis. The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events and identify any preventable failures in the response to the initial gas odour reports.
