(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Investigators work around Bristol Health & Rehab Center and surrounding rubble after a gas explosion the day prior on Dec. 24, 2025, in Bristol, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau, File)

(Philadelphia, PA – AP) Four people hurt when an explosion ripped through a Pennsylvania nursing home two weeks ago sued the facility and a natural gas utility on Monday, claiming their negligence was to blame.

Two workers at Bristol Health & Rehab Center LLC, a resident of the suburban Philadelphia facility and a contractor who happened to be there when the blast occurred on Dec. 23 filed the lawsuit. The defendants include PECO Energy Company, which provided natural gas to the complex, its parent company Exelon Corp., and Saber Healthcare Holdings LLC of Beachwood, Ohio.

The lawsuit filed in Philadelphia court claims the defendants “were aware of a gas leak in the building and failed to take the steps necessary to evacuate the building, fix the leak and protect the residents, workers and others that were exposed to the horrific blast.”

Zach Shamberg, Saber Healthcare Group chief of government affairs, said in an email Monday that the company is cooperating with the ongoing investigation and does not comment on litigation.

PECO communications director Greg Smore said in an email that as a party to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, the company was not permitted to comment. The gas utility has previously said the cause is under investigation and it’s not known whether PECO’s equipment or natural gas were involved.

The explosion killed a resident and a worker and injured 20 other people. Officials have not said what caused it, but a PECO crew had been there to investigate a reported gas leak.

The lawsuit claims the gas leak “had been festering for days” and the gas odor came from the boiler room.

“Defendants’ decision not to immediately initiate evacuation procedures under these circumstances was reckless and outrageous given the population within the building, with many of the residents having limited mobility and unable to self-evacuate in the case of an emergency,” the lawsuit alleged.

A utility crew was responding to reports of a gas odor when the explosion happened, authorities have said.

Authorities reported acts of heroism in response to the explosion. About 100 residents were taken to other nursing homes nearby, officials said.

One of the people who died was Muthoni Nduthu, 52, a Kenyan immigrant who worked there. The other victim was a resident whose name has not been made public.

The force of the blast shook nearby houses for blocks in Bristol, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: People gather during a memorial procession in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, after a devastating fire in Le Constellation bar left dead and injured during the New Year’s celebrations. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Swiss police said Monday they’ve identified all the people who were injured in the fire that tore through a New Year’s celebration in a crowded bar. They put the total at 116, more than two-thirds still in hospitals.

Authorities had previously given a figure of 119 injured, on top of the 40 people killed. But police said Monday that three people admitted to hospitals on the night of the disaster in Crans-Montana had been linked in error to the blaze at the crowded Le Constellation bar.

The injured include 68 Swiss citizens, 21 French nationals, 10 Italians, four Serbs, two Poles and one person each from Australia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Portugal and the Republic of Congo, according to a police statement. There were also four dual nationals: of France and Finland, France and Italy, Switzerland and Belgium, and Italy and the Philippines.

Police said 83 of the injured were still in hospitals. They didn’t give further details or specify their ages.

The severity of burns made it difficult to identify some victims of the fire that broke out at about 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, requiring families to supply authorities with DNA samples.

Authorities announced on Sunday evening that they had completed the identification of the 40 people who died, the youngest of them aged 14.

On Monday, Italian authorities flew home the bodies of five victims from the airport in Sion, the regional capital.

Officials stood quietly as Swiss police pallbearers carried the coffins through a line of firefighters and soldiers to an Italian Air Force C-130 cargo plane. Mourners hugged before relatives boarded the aircraft.

Investigators have said they believe festive sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling.

Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the bar managers. The two are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire, according to the Valais region’s chief prosecutor.

(Photo Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Lottery)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) A Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $4 million was recently sold in Cranberry Township. According to the Pennsylvania Lottery, a ticket was sold that won $4 million in Friday’s drawing. The ticket matched all five white balls drawn, which were 6-13-34-43-52, but not the yellow Mega Ball 4. The Gordon’s Mini Mart on Rochester Road in Cranberry Township has won a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The Pennsylvania Lottery also states that winning tickets should be signed on the back immediately and that winners aren’t known until prizes are claimed and tickets are validated. Mega Millions winners have one year from the drawing date by checking at their local lottery retailer to claim prizes. 

(File Photo of Water)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) A water main break has closed an intersection in Bethel Park. According to the Bethel Park Police Department, Library Road is closed between Logan Road and Berryman Avenue, and Kings School Road is closed between Shirley Drive and Wilson Drive. Police confirm that there is currently no estimated time when the intersection will reopen. A Pennsylvania American Water spokesperson states that water has been shut off in the area. Service was expected to be restored by yesterday morning. It is unclear how many customers are impacted.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) recently released a final post-storm report examining electric utilities” preparation and response following a comprehensive review of a major spring storm that caused widespread power outages across western Pennsylvania. This storm happened on April 29th, 2025 and the PUC’s report on it outlined key recommendations to strengthen future storm planning, coordination and system resilience across Pennsylvania. According to a release in Harrisburg today from the PUC, here are the key findings from this report as well as more information about the preparation for storms in the future:

Key Findings

Among the report’s key conclusions:

• Utilities’ preparatory steps were generally appropriate based on available weather and outage forecasts, but electric distribution companies should continue to work on improving weather forecasting and outage prediction modelling.
• Large-scale events continue to test electric distribution company assumptions about staffing, logistics, and restoration timelines.
• Electric distribution companies continue to face challenges in providing consistent and reliable estimated times of restoration during complex storm events.
• Sufficient access to skilled line workers – both internal and through mutual aid – is critical to restoring service safely and efficiently following major outages.
• Coordination with county emergency management agencies and local officials was generally effective and remains a critical component of storm response.
• Extended outages have a disproportionate impact on medically vulnerable customers and other populations with heightened needs during service disruptions.

Strengthening Planning for Future Storms

A central recommendation of the report is the re-establishment of a statewide Electric Distribution Company Storm Best Practices Group, which would focus on translating lessons learned into measurable improvements across the industry.
The Commission recommended that this group prioritize issues such as:

• Storm response planning and scalability
• Estimated time of restoration processes and communications
• Mutual aid coordination and crew management
• Road closure coordination and safety protocols
• Sharing best practices and lessons learned from major events

Additional recommendations call for utilities to refine restoration forecasting, strengthen call center performance during high-volume events, enhance coordination with emergency management agencies, and continue investing in infrastructure hardening and system resilience.

A Statewide Focus on Resilience

• The PUC emphasized that while this review was prompted by a specific storm, its findings and recommendations are relevant to every electric utility operating in Pennsylvania. Major outage events are not confined to any one region, and future storms could just as easily impact eastern, central, or northern parts of the Commonwealth.
• By strengthening planning, coordination, and restoration practices now, the Commission said, utilities can improve reliability, protect public safety, and reduce the duration and impact of outages when severe weather occurs.
• The full post-storm review is available on the PUC’s website by clicking here.

(File Photo of the American Red Cross Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is now urging people in Pennsylvania to make an appointment to give blood or platelets this month because they are on a shortage of blood this winter.  Donors that have types O, A negative and B negative blood are especially needed and those who give between January 1st-25th, 2026 will be entered automatically for a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl LX (60) and an exciting experience for the event in Santa Clara, California this year. More information about this giveaway can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl by clicking here.

According to a release from the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania, here is more information about how you can make an appointment to donate blood or platelets:

• Don’t wait – make an appointment to give blood or platelets now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org by clicking here, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

How to donate blood

• Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
• Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hanover Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported via release today that twenty-nine-year-old Shane Gentry of Hookstown was taken into custody for committing an act of criminal mischief in Hanover Township of Beaver County. According to police, during the late hours of Saturday into the early hours of yesterday, Gentry took a quad which is owned by twenty-seven-year-old Kacey Messenger of Clinton, Pennsylvania and began driving it around the yard of 135 Gentry Drive. This caused damage that was significant to the front and rear yards and broke the “mushroom” vent for the sewage of the residence. The yard was owned by thirty-one-year-old Austin Gentry of Hookstown, who was a victim of this incident, along with sixty-three-year-old Douglas Gentry, also of Hookstown. then drove the quad onto a property that he was excluded from on 163 Gentry Drive and wrecked it by rolling it into the tree line, which caused damage that was significant to the quad. Gentry then tried to make a police report but was not sure of what he wanted to report to Beaver County 911 and Pennsylvania State Police Beaver, and then called back about five minutes later to report that he did not want or need the police, but made a request that a ‘higher power” would respond. Gentry was taken into custody for defiant trespass, disorderly conduct, a felony charge of criminal mischief, misuse of a 911 system and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Sheetz)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Altoona, PA) According to a release in Altoona, Pennsylvania today from Sheetz, they announced the passing of its former President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Stephen G. Sheetz, who died last night at the age of 77.

He was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania on January 7th, 1948 and graduated from Altoona High School in 1965. At just twelve years old, he began working part-time for Sheetz Kwik Shopper, the company that his brother Bob founded in 1952. After earning his degree from Penn State University in 1969, he became Supervisor and Director of Operations for all four Sheetz locations in operation. He later worked alongside Bob to grow the company to 100 store locations by 1983.

Following Bob’s retirement, Steve served as President and CEO of Sheetz from 1984 to 1995, guiding the company through a period of significant growth. He also served as Chairman of Sheetz’s Board of Directors from 1995 to 2013, before transitioning to Chairman of CLI Transport in 2013. In 2020, he retired as an official Sheetz executive, while continuing to serve as the chairman of the Family Committee.

The impact Steve had on Sheetz was immense because he played an instrumental role in guiding members of the Sheetz family into the business, helping them apply their skills and talents to support the company’s continued success. During his time as President and CEO, Sheetz introduced Made-to-Order (MTO®), entered the business of fuel, expanded the company into new states and created the Sheetz mission of “Total Customer Focus.” He remained actively involved in the business he helped build for over sixty years, providing counsel and support as Sheetz continued to grow.

Steve also had a lifelong commitment to philanthropy and he supported numerous community and educational causes across the Altoona area and central Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Nancy, founded a program called the Sheetz Fellows Program, which provides mentorship, financial support, and special programming to Penn State Altoona students with the potential to lead and serve in their communities and beyond. They also established the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, which is located in downtown Altoona. The couple was named Philanthropists of the Year by Penn State University in 2010 in recognition of their contributions.

Steve is survived by his wife, Nancy, their two daughters, Megan Sheetz (Trevor Price) and Nicole Sheetz Frith (Brint Frith), and seven grandchildren.