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 - Wheelchairs and other debris are scattered amid structural damage after a massive explosion and fire caused a collapse at the nursing home in Bristol, Pa., Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau, File)
FILE - Wheelchairs and other debris are scattered amid structural damage after a massive explosion and fire caused a collapse at the nursing home in Bristol, Pa., Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau, File)
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)
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 7, 2026--
Pioneering medical technology company Xenco Medical today announced the expansion of its international distribution hubs across the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the Sultanate of Oman, marking a significant milestone in the company’s mission to deliver advanced surgical solutions to healthcare systems around the world. The strategic expansion strengthens Xenco Medical’s presence across key global healthcare markets, bringing its next-generation biomimetic implants, regenerative biomaterials, and composite polymer surgical technologies to leading hospitals and surgeons throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107117557/en/
Through its newly established regional partnerships, Xenco Medical will support a growing number of orthopedic and surgical centers with its comprehensive portfolio of logistics-optimized, single-use implant and instrument systems designed to enhance procedural efficiency, reduce hospital overhead, and improve patient outcomes. The expansion reflects accelerating global demand for Xenco Medical’s innovative technologies that integrate regenerative science, advanced materials, and AI-driven software to redefine the continuum of surgical care.
“A testament to the universal resonance of our breakthrough technologies, we have been immensely excited by the enthusiastic embrace of Xenco Medical across global markets, demonstrating the ability of scientific advancements to traverse continents. We look forward to translating our growing presence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia into transformative patient outcomes,” said Xenco Medical Founder and CEO Jason Haider.
Inspired by the principles of mechanotransduction, Xenco Medical’s proprietary TrabeculeX Continuum platform harmonizes regenerative biomaterials with AI-powered post-surgical rehabilitation, enabling clinicians to monitor pain scores, patient adherence, and motion recovery through remote, AI-driven pose assessment. The introduction of this integrated ecosystem into new international markets underscores Xenco Medical’s commitment to advancing value-based healthcare worldwide.
The Middle East and Southeast Asia represent some of the fastest-growing healthcare markets globally, driven by investments in hospital infrastructure, medical tourism, and digital health transformation. Xenco Medical’s expansion into these regions positions the company to support these evolving healthcare ecosystems with scalable, sustainable, and clinically differentiated solutions that reduce waste, streamline logistics, and elevate the standard of surgical care. With its logistics-optimized, single-use implant systems eliminating the need for sterilization and reprocessing between procedures, Xenco Medical’s technologies significantly reduce surgical turnover times while improving consistency and safety in operating rooms. These advantages are expected to deliver immediate operational and economic value to healthcare facilities across the newly established Xenco Medical distribution hubs.
As Xenco Medical continues to rapidly grow its global footprint, the company remains focused on translating the promise of biomimetic implants, regenerative medicine, and artificial intelligence into meaningful outcomes for patients and providers alike, bringing its vision of a more longitudinally connected, efficient, and patient-centered surgical ecosystem to healthcare systems around the world. In recognition of its commitment to delivering breakthroughs in global healthcare, Xenco Medical was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company Magazine for the second time in 2025, the winner of the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Award for Excellence in Governance and Leadership for Global Challenges, and the 2025 Medical Device/Diagnostics Company of the Year at the prestigious Trailblazer Awards in New York City.
Xenco Medical has scaled its global distribution hubs to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Oman.
