Fetters Mill Fire Rescue of Huntingdon Valley (Lower Moreland Township) announced that Deputy Chief of EMS Fred Ellinger and Lieutenant Andrew Miller from the department’s Bryn Athyn Station responded to the Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion in Bristol Township on the afternoon of Tuesday December 23.
According to Fetters Mill Fire Rescue’s post, Ellinger and Miller used the station’s computer and patient-tracking resources alongside other agencies to successfully relocate 69 residents to eight different facilities.
A healthcare coordination team “deployed patient-tracking resources and accounted for a total of 136 individuals, including nursing home residents and staff, among them those transported to other hospitals earlier in the incident” during the 10-hour operation.
According to NBC10, at least two people were killed while several others are hurt or missing. Officials believe a gas leak may have caused the explosion. Police and firefighters from multiple counties responded to the facility which has roughly 150 daily residents.
Governor Josh Shapiro of Abington Township posted the following in response to the incident:
Tonight in Bristol, our first responders displayed extraordinary courage as they bravely ran towards danger to get residents, their loved ones, and staff at Silver Lake Nursing Home to safety.
Lori and I are praying for those who are injured, those who are missing, and the… pic.twitter.com/53AD4iCBq1
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) December 24, 2025
Emergency responders from across the region dug through debris and evacuated residents amid flames, smoke, a strong smell of gas and even a second explosion, Governor Josh Shapiro said at a news conference Tuesday night.
The Associated Press’ video coverage is below:
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