Overview

• An early morning blast on the 1900 block of West Bristol Street caused three attached rowhomes in Nicetown to cave in.
• Search teams recovered one deceased individual and rescued two elderly women who remain hospitalized with critical and stable injuries.
• Officials evacuated ten residents and established a collapse zone to secure the perimeter and safeguard against further damage.
• Investigators from the Philadelphia Fire Department, ATF, Department of Licenses and Inspections, and Gas Works are probing the cause of the explosion.
• Emergency crews are conducting an extensive operation to stabilize adjacent buildings and assess structural safety before residents can return.