Nursing Assistant Identified as 1 of 2 Victims Killed in Nursing Home Explosion as New Details Emerge

Officials have identified one of the two victims killed in a Bucks County, Pa., nursing home explosion that also left about 19 people hospitalized. 

The Bucks County Coroner’s Office said Muthoni Nduthu, 52, a female nursing assistant at Bristol Health and Rehab Center (also known as the Silver Lake Nursing Home), was one of the two who died from the Tuesday, Dec. 23, incident, reported ABC affiliate WPVI, USA Today and NBC affiliate WGAL. Bristol police also confirmed Nduthu's identity to PEOPLE.

The other victim, a female resident at the nursing home, officials said, was not identified.

Shortly after 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, PECO Energy Company crews responded to reports of a gas odor at the Bristol Health and Rehab Center (also known as the Silver Lake Nursing Home) at 905 Tower Road in Bristol Township, Bucks County, PECO said in a statement obtained by NBC Philadelphia.

"While crews were on site, an explosion occurred at the facility. PECO crews shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents," the statement continued.

At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said that a preliminary investigation suggested a gas leak may have caused the explosion.

There are 174 certified beds in the facility, which has about 151 residents daily, according to NBC Philadelphia.

Upon firefighters' arrival at the scene, there was a "major structural collapse with parts of the first floor into the basement with persons trapped," Bristol Township Fire Department Chief Kevin Dippolito said.

Bristol Township Manager Randee J. Mazur issued a local emergency declaration following the incident. Mazur said many residents were pulled out through "windows, doors, stuck in stairwells, stuck in elevator shafts."

As people were being rescued from the collapsed structure, a "heavy odor of gas" was present, said Dippolito at the time. 

At a press conference held on Wednesday, Dec. 24, Bristol Township officials confirmed the two fatalities from yesterday’s explosion. 

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to those families,” Bristol Township Police Chief CJ Winik told reporters, adding that 19 people remain hospitalized, with one person in critical condition. 

Winik also said that everyone has been accounted for in the tragedy.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities determine the cause of the incident, he said. 

Dippolito said at Wednesday’s news conference that heavy machinery is on site at the moment to excavate the area as part of the investigation. He couldn’t confirm that there was an ongoing smell of gas before the gas company crew’s arrival when the explosion occurred, adding that his department did not receive reports about a gas leak.

Winik also acknowledged the enormous task that first responders faced in rescuing those from the building collapse in minutes. 

“I’ve never seen such heroism,” he said at the press conference. “They were running into a building that I could, from 50 feet away, still smell gas, and walls that looked like they were gonna fall down.”

Clinton Ndegwa, Nduthu’s eldest son, said his mother, who was originally from Kenya, was looking forward to spending time with her family in North Carolina over the Christmas holidays, The New York Times reported.  

“We’re immigrant kids, first generation,” Ndegwa said, per the newspaper. “She worked to try to provide for her family. She liked serving people. She took pride in that.”

Ndegwa added that one of his brothers called him about the explosion at the nursing home and that his mother did not pick up the phone. The family learned of her death on Tuesday evening and has not yet claimed the body due to the investigation. 

“She told us to go to school, get jobs,” Ndegwa told the Times. “Life won’t be easy, but life will be much better.”

PEOPLE contacted the Bristol Township Police Department,  the Bucks County Coroner’s Office, and the Government of Bucks County on Wednesday for additional information. 

In a statement shared on social media Wednesday, Gov. Shapiro announced that he ordered Pennsylvania flags on all Commonwealth facilities, buildings and grounds in Bucks County to be lowered at half-staff “to half-staff to honor the victims of the Silver Lake Nursing Home explosion.”

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“To the Bristol community, we all stand with you — and we'll continue to provide the support your community needs as you begin to rebuild and recover,” he concluded.

The Bucks County government also offered condolences to those affected by the explosion in a Wednesday statement.

“The Bucks County Commissioners applaud the quick response of Bristol Township firefighters, police, EMS and Silver Lake Nursing Home staff who leapt immediately into action to protect residents, employees and all others present at the time of the explosion, the statement read in part.