At least two people were killed and several were missing after a pair of explosions rocked a nursing home in Bristol Township, outside the US city of Philadelphia.
The explosions on Tuesday sparked a fire and caused part of the nursing home's building to collapse, officials and police said.
The blasts at the Bristol Health and Rehab Center in Bristol Township, about 21 miles (33 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia, are believed to have been caused by a gas leak.
Five people were believed to be missing hours after the explosions and fire tore through the facility, Bristol Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito told a press conference on Tuesday evening. However, some may have left the scene with family members, he added.
In addition to the two confirmed deaths, Dippolito said an unspecified number of people had sustained injuries.
Dippolito said firefighters found a "major structural collapse" after receiving the first reports of an explosion on Tuesday afternoon and rushing to the scene.
News footage from local TV showed large flames and smoke billowing from the destroyed building shortly after the first blast.
The local gas company PECO said its personnel were at the facility responding to complaints of a gas leak when the first explosion occurred.
"PECO crews shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to ensure the safety of first responders and local residents. It is not known at this time if PECO’s equipment, or natural gas, was involved in this incident," the company said in a statement.
The fire marshal added that numerous nursing home patients and staff who were initially trapped in the collapsed part of the building had been rescued by first responders.
Several victims were removed from the debris. Firefighters were able to pull at least two more people from the collapsed basement before retreating due to lingering gas fumes, Dippolito said.
"We got everyone out that we could, that we could find, that we could see, and we exited the building," the fire marshal explained.
"Within approximately 15 to 30 seconds of us exiting the building, knowing there was a heavy odor of natural gas around us, there was another explosion and fire," he added.
It was not immediately clear exactly how many patients and staff were at the nursing home, which is certified for up to 174 beds, at the time of the explosions.
A nurse working at the facility told local TV news that more than 50 patients aged between 50 to 95 were normally in the building at any given time.
"We are still in rescue mode until we know the building is clear," Dippolito said.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said the facility had been acquired by new owners this month. He also said state health inspectors had visited the facility on December 10 and met with staff to devise a plan to update the standards at the nursing home.
Shapiro praised the emergency response, saying in a post on X, "Tonight, we saw real heroism in Bucks County."
Shapiro praised the firefighters "who rushed towards danger to put out this fire and rescue people from the burning building," as well as the police officers who "literally carried them on their backs to safety."
The governor also highlighted the solidarity shown by nearby residents who had "rushed out of their houses, away from their families" to help the victims.