‘I’m Praying Hard’: Witnesses Recount Harrowing Moments After Blast

A ground-shaking, window-breaking “kaboom” shook Lower Bucks County around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Witnesses recalled a scene like something from a disaster movie.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in real life. I don’t even know how anyone is going to survive,” said Anamarie Rose, who pulled up as fire trucks arrived to the Silver Lake Nursing Home and Bristol Health and Rehab Center on Tower Road in Bristol Township.

Glass was strewn about Fayette Drive and Tower Road. Pieces of roof material and small chunks of a block wall were scattered in the grass yards from the scene. Flames shot from what was once the kitchen area of the 174-bed facility.

Patients and staff with injuries ran outside, many helping patients who were unable to get out under their own power.

“We need to get her to an ambulance,” one nursing home employee said to police officers minutes after the blaze that tore through the building, causing a fire and partial collapse.

The worker then aided an elderly person who appeared to be in poor health.

UPDATE: Death Toll Lowered In Nursing Home Blast; Investigation Ongoing

A man helped a woman with a serious injury, neighbors and a police officer lifted an injured woman from the ground onto a stretcher, firefighters rushed out of the building with an elderly person gripping onto a walker, and a bystander braced an injured nursing home worker in scrubs as they walked away while a strong smell of natural gas and smoke permeated the air.

Mike Brannigan, who has fire service experience, and off-duty Philadelphia Police Department Officer Jake Langan were just a short distance away when the explosion happened. They rushed to the scene.

“When we arrived, it was all hands on deck,” Brannigan said.

“By the time we got here, they had, I would say, at least 50 residents from that building outside in wheelchairs and covered in blankets,” Langan said.

The two helped rescue four people from the scene.

“There were a couple trauma” patients, Langan said.

“There were nurses screaming ‘help us,’ ‘help us,’” Brannigan said.

Brannigan and Langan said they did the best they could and they helped transport several people to Lower Bucks Hospital.

A bystander on Fayette Drive said he lives nearby and heard the blast and sirens.

“I knew once I saw the smoke and dust that something catastrophic happened. You just know when you see something. You know how bad it is,” he said. “I’ve seen some stuff in life, but nothing like this here. They had the ladies laying on the grass because they were waiting for ambulances to get them.”

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Speaking as police put caution tape around the scene, one bystander said he jumped into action to help a resident who appeared to have a serious injury. She called out in pain until an ambulance crew ran over and loaded her in the back.

“She wasn’t doing good,” he said. “I’m praying hard.”

A nearby resident, Margie, watched rescue efforts as police held back a crowd. Her wife, Mary, who works as an activities coordinator in the nursing home, was somewhere in the sea of people.

“I found out from a co-worker who told me and then my neighbor told me ‘Silver Lake just blew up,’” Margie said. “I told my neighbor to go down there and find Mary.”

Margie was comforted by a friend who came with her to the scene.

“They found Mary. She’s somewhere there,” Margie said, scanning the scene.

A Silver Lake Nursing Home and Bristol Health and Rehab Center staffer, who was off for the day, sped to the nearby Winder Village neighborhood and threw her car into park. She told a reporter she heard about the explosion and was coming to help her co-workers.

“I need to see what I can do,” she was overheard telling a rescue worker.

Veteran emergency responders told LevittownNow.com the scene was one of the worst that they have seen in decades.

“This is one for the records. People are going to talk about this as long as we’re alive,” said one longtime firefighter.

A man, Amir, said ran toward the nursing home when heard what happened.

After processing what had happened, Amir said he told people to move their cars so fire trucks and rescue equipment could get through to the scene.

Bristol Township Council President Craig Bowen looked at the blown-apart building as firefighters and ambulances were still arriving to the scene.

“Can you believe it?” he asked.

Photographer Natalie Grimmer assisted in reporting for this article.