Chaos erupted in Philadelphia when a powerful explosion leveled three row homes, claiming one life and injuring several others.
At a Glance
● A powerful explosion and fire destroyed three row homes in the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia early Sunday morning.
● One elderly woman was killed, and two other women, aged 82 and 63, were hospitalized with injuries.
● One of the injured victims is a longtime, beloved staffer in the office of the Philadelphia City Council President.
● The cause of the blast is under investigation by a multi-agency team including the Philadelphia Fire Marshal and the federal ATF.
Devastation in the Early Hours
A catastrophic explosion rocked the 1900 block of West Bristol Street in Philadelphia’s
Nicetown neighborhood before dawn on Sunday, June 29, 2025.
An early morning fire and explosion in Philadelphia's Nicetown section left one person dead and three homes destroyed. https://t.co/UZJJrRyOgC
— Action News on 6abc (@6abc) June 30, 2025
The massive blast completely leveled three row homes and caused significant damage to at least five other residences, leaving a scene of widespread destruction.
The Philadelphia Fire Department responded to the scene around 5 a.m. with an “all-hands” alarm, bringing more than 60 firefighters to battle the ensuing blaze and begin a frantic search and rescue operation in the rubble. “They exploded in on themselves,” Acting Fire Chief Daniel McCarty said of the collapsed homes.
The Human Cost of the Blast
The explosion claimed the life of one elderly woman, whose body was recovered from the debris by a K9 search dog. Two other women, aged 82 and 63, were pulled from the wreckage by firefighters and rushed to a local hospital. One woman is listed in critical condition with severe burns, while the other is stable with injuries from smoke inhalation. According to a spokesperson for Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, one of the hospitalized women is a long-time and “beloved” member of the council’s staff. “She has served through many council presidents,” the spokesperson told NBC Philadelphia.
An “All-Day Operation”
The search and recovery effort was a painstaking process. “Our men and women of the fire department will go through with their special operations company to ensure that no one is unaccounted for on this block,” McCarty told the New York Post. “So this will be an extensive all-day operation.”
The cause of the blast is now the subject of a major investigation involving the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). While neighbors reported hearing a “big bang,” officials have not yet confirmed if the explosion was caused by a gas leak or another source.
