BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA — A third victim has died from injuries sustained during a devastating natural gas explosion that partially collapsed Bristol Health & Rehab Center in Bucks County on December 23, 2025, as a negligence lawsuit targeting the facility's owners and the local utility company moves forward in Philadelphia court.
Patricia Mero, 66, a resident of the 174-bed nursing home, succumbed to blunt force chest injuries she suffered during the blast and building collapse, according to the Bristol Township Police Department. Her death, announced late Monday, follows those of fellow resident Ann Reddy and nurse aide Muthoni Nduthu, 52, bringing the confirmed death toll to three. Approximately 19 additional people were injured in the incident, according to reporting by McKnight's Long-Term Care News.
Negligence Lawsuit Targets Facility and Utility Company
On the same day Mero's death was confirmed, Philadelphia-based law firm Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky announced it had filed the first lawsuit stemming from the explosion in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, as reported by McKnight's. The suit names utility provider PECO, its private ownership, Bristol Health & Rehab Center, and facility owner Saber Healthcare Group as defendants, alleging gross negligence led to the catastrophe.
According to the legal filing, both facility staff and utility workers detected a strong natural gas odor in and around the building prior to the explosion but failed to order an evacuation. The lawsuit specifically alleges that PECO did not adequately warn nursing home residents and employees of suspected gas leaks or provide sufficient time for evacuation.
"Defendants' decision not to immediately initiate evacuation procedures under these circumstances was reckless and outrageous given the population within the building, with many of the residents having limited mobility and unable to self-evacuate in the case of an emergency," the attorneys argued in the filing, as reported by McKnight's. "Plaintiffs have been forced to suffer catastrophic personal injuries, had to survive harrowing rescue attempts, and watch their friends and colleagues lose their lives and similarly suffer traumatic injuries."
The firm is representing six plaintiffs — four victims and two spouses — seeking damages exceeding $50,000 for severe injuries, psychological trauma, lost income, and medical costs, according to McKnight's. Among the plaintiffs are a resident with paraplegia whose motorized wheelchair was destroyed in the blast, two nurse aides injured when their break room collapsed into the basement, and an independent contractor who was on-site at the time of the explosion. Partner Aidan Carickhoff told McKnight's that additional plaintiffs may join the case.
Separately, national firm Morgan & Morgan has announced it is also representing victims and investigating the circumstances leading up to the explosion, according to the firm's public statement.
The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting its own investigation into the role of the natural gas pipeline, according to McKnight's. The agency completed its on-site work and a preliminary report was expected by January 23, a spokesman told the outlet.
Zach Shamberg, Saber Healthcare Group's chief of government affairs, told McKnight's that the company is cooperating with investigators but declined to comment on the pending litigation. Notably, Saber had acquired Bristol Health & Rehab Center just 23 days before the explosion occurred.
CMS Inspection History
Federal inspection records paint a troubling picture of Bristol Health & Rehab Center's operations well before the December explosion. The facility held a 1-out-of-5-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the lowest possible score. Its health inspection rating was also 1 out of 5, indicating a pattern of serious compliance failures, according to CMS data.
Over the course of 34 recorded inspections, federal surveyors documented 125 total deficiencies at the for-profit facility. While the nursing home received a 4-out-of-5 staffing rating and a 3-out-of-5 quality measure rating, the volume and severity of health inspection deficiencies placed it among the worst-performing facilities in the state.
During its most recent inspection on March 30, 2025, surveyors cited Bristol Health & Rehab for five deficiencies, several involving direct resident care. These included a failure to provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing — cited at a severity level of G, indicating actual harm to residents. Additional citations included failures to ensure services met professional standards of quality, to provide appropriate treatment according to care plans, to supply adequate food and fluids to maintain resident health, and to promptly notify residents, physicians, and family members of changes in condition, according to CMS inspection records.
The facility's deeply troubled regulatory history raises critical questions about oversight of the home both before and during Saber Healthcare Group's brief ownership prior to the explosion.
Ownership & Operations
Bristol Health & Rehab Center is classified as a for-profit corporation under CMS records. Saber Healthcare Group, which operates dozens of skilled nursing facilities across the eastern United States, completed its acquisition of the 174-bed Bristol facility in early December 2025 — less than a month before the fatal blast, according to McKnight's reporting. The extremely brief window of ownership complicates questions of accountability, as the facility's extensive deficiency history predates Saber's involvement, while the company held operational responsibility at the time of the disaster.
Resources for Families
Families of residents affected by this incident or concerned about conditions at any Pennsylvania long-term care facility can contact the following resources:
- Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 1-800-254-5164 - National Elder Care Locator Hotline: 1-800-677-1116 - Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center: https://ltcombudsman.org
Families may also file complaints directly with the Pennsylvania Department of Health or contact local law enforcement if they believe a resident is in immediate danger.
UPDATE — March 13, 2026
According to a March 4, 2026 report by LevittownNow.com, Harry S. Truman High School in Bristol Township was rapidly transformed into an emergency operations center within 40 minutes of the December 23 explosion. School officials detailed the coordinated response during a recent board meeting, noting that the district established 100 beds, a first aid station, and food services, while dispatching buses and nursing staff to the explosion site. Bristol Township School District Superintendent Michael Nitti reported receiving numerous compliments from responding agencies regarding the district team's professionalism and readiness. Community members quickly mobilized to support the effort, with local families delivering pizzas, donuts, coffee, and hoagies within an hour of the center opening.
UPDATE — March 13, 2026
According to a preliminary NTSB report released in January 2026, the facility's maintenance director first contacted PECO around 11 a.m. on December 23 to report a natural gas odor, more than three hours before the 2:15 p.m. explosion. The report revealed that both the Exelon foreman and meter services technician dispatched to repair the identified gas leak had less than one year of experience in their current roles, and the natural gas supply wasn't shut off until approximately 3:50 p.m.—nearly two hours after the blast occurred. An attorney representing victims called the timeline "damning," questioning why PECO personnel detected the leak at 11:50 a.m. but did not take more urgent action to prevent the explosion that ultimately killed three people and injured 20 others.
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