Overview

• The blast struck just before 5 a.m. at 1900 West Bristol Street, causing three rowhomes to implode and triggering secondary collapses in five adjacent buildings.
• Philadelphia Fire Department units, police and fire marshals quickly established a collapse zone and deployed canine teams for ongoing search-and-rescue operations.
• Two elderly women were pulled from the rubble and taken to hospitals, with one in critical condition and the other reported stable.
• Ten residents have been evacuated as the Department of Licenses and Inspections conducts structural assessments of nearby properties.
• Investigators have shut off utilities and continue examining the site for potential gas leaks or structural failures as the cause remains undetermined.