Credit: Submitted
Federal investigators have begun sifting through the wreckage of a deadly nursing home explosion as new testing revealed the presence of natural gas in the soil surrounding the facility, officials said.
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made safe access to the rubble of the Silver Lake Nursing Home and Bristol Health and Rehab Center on Friday.
The work came three days after the Tuesday blast that leveled portions of the building and left two people dead.
NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson said investigators worked alongside local responders to conduct initial clearing operations.
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The entry follows a safety coordination with Bristol Township Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito and Third District Fire Company Deputy Chief Howard McGoldrick to confirm which areas of the structure were stable enough to enter, Knudson said.
Investigators have begun interviewing responders and identified various levels of natural gas in the soil near the facility.
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Knudson said further testing is ongoing to determine the extent of the saturation.
Over the coming days, the NTSB plans to conduct an integrity test on the natural gas service line that connects the street to the building’s basement.
The agency also intends to gather records and interview additional witnesses, nursing home staff, and employees from PECO, which was called to the nursing home minutes before the blast for a natural gas odor.
‘I Have A Partial Building Collapse’: Recording Details Nursing Home Blast
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The NTSB investigation is currently focused on three primary areas: the pipeline system, human factors and the operating environment.
While the agency is frequently associated with aviation and rail accidents, it also holds a mandate to investigate pipeline incidents and issue safety recommendations.
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The explosion is believed to have been caused by a gas leak, officials have said.
In a statement, PECO said it remains unclear whether its equipment or natural gas played a role in the incident.
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On Friday, PECO crews operated from a large mobile command post near the blast site.
Workers have installed fencing and privacy netting around the perimeter of the damaged building.
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While the police presence has decreased since the hours after the blast, the scene remains blocked off to the public.
According to a neighbor, crews spent part of Friday removing cars and SUVs that had been left behind in the nursing home parking lot during the initial evacuation.
