Lawsuit filed after fatal Bristol nursing home explosion – Bucks Round-Up – January 7, 2026
Lawsuit filed after fatal Bristol nursing home explosion
Four survivors of the deadly gas explosion that destroyed a Bristol Township nursing home have filed what is believed to be the first lawsuit stemming from the December 23 blast that killed three people and injured dozens more. The complaint, filed Monday in Philadelphia County Court, alleges “overwhelming negligence” by the facility’s operators and PECO, the natural gas supplier. Named defendants include PECO and its parent company Exelon, Bristol Health and Rehab Center LLC, and Saber Healthcare, which acquired the facility earlier this month. Plaintiffs include a former paraplegic resident, two healthcare aides, and a contractor who was working inside the building at the time of the explosion. According to the lawsuit, the smell of gas filled the facility for at least 30 minutes before the blast, and the leak may have gone unaddressed for days. Despite repeated warnings, the building was not evacuated, the suit claims. Attorneys argue that PECO workers were on site investigating a leak when the explosion occurred but failed to properly diagnose the problem or shut off service. The facility’s operators are accused of ignoring basic safety protocols and ordering staff to continue working despite the danger. State inspectors had cited the nursing home for safety violations as recently as October. PECO and Saber Healthcare said they are cooperating with investigators but declined to comment on pending litigation. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to lead the investigation.
Coroner releases name of third victim in nursing home explosion
Bucks County officials have released new details in the ongoing investigation into the deadly explosion at a Bristol Township nursing home as the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of one of the county’s most serious incidents in recent memory. The Bucks County Coroner’s Office this week identified the third victim of the December 23 explosion at the Silver Lake Nursing Home and Bristol Health and Rehab Center as Patricia Mero, 66. Coroner Patti Campi said Mero died Monday morning at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township. An autopsy ruled her death accidental, attributing it to chest trauma suffered in the blast. Mero was one of three people killed when the Tower Road facility was rocked by an explosion believed to be caused by natural gas. The blast also claimed the life of 52-year-old Muthoni Nduthu, a nurse and Bristol Township resident, as well as an elderly female resident who later died at a Philadelphia hospital. That resident has not yet been publicly identified. According to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office, it could take months before additional details are released. At least 20 people were injured in the explosion, and dozens of residents were displaced and transferred to other Saber Healthcare facilities. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading a multi-agency investigation, focusing on the pipeline system, operator training, and environmental conditions. Investigators previously detected varying levels of natural gas in soil near the building.
Park renamed Supervisor Anna Payne Memorial Park
The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution to rename Cobalt Ridge Park as Supervisor Anna Payne Memorial Park, honoring the late board member who died last year after a battle with colon cancer. Supervisor Mike Ksiazek said the designation is a tribute to Payne’s community service. “I really can’t think of a more fitting tribute and I think it’s important that Anna’s legacy live on and I think this is something she would be happy about.” Dawn Quirple, who finished her term on the board at the end of the year, started on the board with Anna Payne in 2020. “Anna was really excited when this park opened, not only because it was going to be in her neighborhood, but it is going to be the first inclusive park in Middletown and that was something that really mattered to her.” A formal ribbon cutting is planned this year with a new sign in front of the park and benches.
Man allegedly steals truck, hits multiple vehicles
Falls Township police arrested a Morrisville man following a dangerous hit-and-run spree involving a stolen concrete truck. Leon Johnson, 61, is charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors after allegedly stealing the truck along Bristol Pike and striking several parked vehicles, utility poles, and fencing. Police say the truck’s owner briefly left the vehicle running before Johnson drove off. Johnson was stopped Monday morning and jailed after posting ten percent of $250,000 cash bail.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490.
