Lower Bucks Hospital Honored Staff for Heroic Response to Bristol Nursing Home Explosion

Lower Bucks Hospital Honored Staff for Heroic Response to Bristol Nursing Home Explosion

Bristol, PA (February 23, 2026)- Lower Bucks Hospital honored its employees on Wednesday, February 11 for their courageous and professional response to the tragic explosion at a Bristol nursing and rehabilitation facility on December 23, 2025. The blast killed three people, injured 19 others, and displaced roughly 180 people - most of them residents - after leaving the two-story building partially collapsed and uninhabitable.

To recognize staff efforts, the hospital hosted an employee luncheon where Senator Steven Santarsiero, Representative Tina Davis, and County Commissioner Bob Harvie presented an official commendation on behalf of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners. The commendation read, in part:

"To the staff and leadership of Lower Bucks Hospital - the Board of Bucks County Commissioners extended its sincere gratitude and recognition of your agency's efforts on December 23, 2025, in responding to the deadly explosion at a local Bristol rehab and nursing home. A few populations are more vulnerable than those served by these facilities and, if not for the swift mobilization of scores of first responders, hospital staff, dispatchers and support agencies, this horrible tragedy may have easily spun into an unimaginable catastrophe. A successful operation exceeds the sum of its parts and no role in a mass-casualty response is a small one. We were truly humbled to witness the display of selfless courage from the hundreds of people involved in this response - including firefighters, emergency medical personnel, police officers, nurses and doctors, and many agencies and individuals from multiple municipalities, counties, and the states who ran toward danger to support those in harm's way. The heroism exhibited that day - from pulling victims to safety and treating the wounded to extinguishing fires, to controlling the sprawling scene, and dispatching and managing resources, this represents the best of Bucks County and our neighbors. On behalf of a grateful County of Bucks County, we thank you for coming to the aid of those affected by this disaster and for the work you do every day to keep your communities healthy and safe."

Michael Motte, CEO of Lower Bucks Hospital, thanked staff and partners for their immediate action and compassion during the crisis. "The events of December 23 tested every system and every person involved," Motte said. "Our clinical teams, support staff, and partner agencies responded with speed, professionalism and extraordinary compassion - saving lives and providing comfort when it was needed most. I was profoundly proud of how our people rose to meet the moment."

Motte added, "While we continued to grieve for the lives lost and supported those who were injured or displaced, that day's gathering was important - not to celebrate, but to acknowledge the selfless work of our employees and first responders. Their actions embodied the very best of our community and reaffirmed our commitment to the safety and care of every neighbor we serve."

Lower Bucks Hospital coordinated with local and county officials to support victims and families, assisted with relocations and ongoing medical needs, and participated in the investigation and recovery efforts. The hospital remained committed to providing any resources necessary to aid the community during the recovery process.

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About Lower Bucks Hospital: Lower Bucks Hospital is a community hospital, serving the Lower Bucks County region with medical, surgical, and emergency care. Located in historic Bristol, Pennsylvania, the hospital is well-known for its knowledgeable medical staff, including cardiology, orthopedics, radiology, wound care, and general surgery. The hospital has more than 200 physicians on staff, as well as another 700 employees. As part of Prime Healthcare, headquartered in Ontario, California, Lower Bucks Hospital is focused on becoming one of the leaders in technology.

Prime Healthcare operates 51 acute care hospitals in 14 states, including Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia, Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, and Suburban Behavioral Health Campus of Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Montgomery County. For more information, please visit https://lowerbuckshosp.com/contact-us/area-hospitals/

About Prime Healthcare and the Prime Healthcare Foundation: Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 51 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 2.5 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation's leading health systems, with nearly 57,000 employees and physicians. Eighteen of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Based in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a 10 Top and 15 Top Health System by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals have been named among the nation's "100 Top Hospitals" 69 times and have received more Patient Safety Excellence Awards from Healthgrades than any other health system in the past eight years. To learn more about Prime Healthcare, visit: www.primehealthcare.com. To learn more about Prime Healthcare Foundation, visit: www.primehealthcarefoundation.org.

For more information, visit lowerbuckshosp.com and connect with us on social media:

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Contact

Michelle Aliprantis, MBA

Regional Director of Marketing and Communications

Office: 215.785.9817

[email protected]