The National Transportation Safety Board released more than 3,000 pages of records this week in connection with the Dec. 23 explosion at Bristol Health and Rehab Center in Bucks County. The blast killed a nurse and two residents and injured at least 20 other people.

According to the NTSB documents, one PECO technician did not perform "bar hole testing" before the explosion — a standard procedure used to detect and measure gas leaks. The technician told investigators he knew the test should have been run in that situation but forgot.

A second technician had limited experience with the type of indoor meter found in the nursing home, a 1940s-era model. That technician told the NTSB that the day of the explosion was the first time he had encountered an indoor valve like the one leaking in the facility's basement.

The records also detail an attempt by PECO to fabricate a report after the blast. A technician told federal investigators that a "leak sheet" was inaccurate because management instructed them to forge the information.

PECO workers reportedly struggled to locate the source of the leak because the address in the utility's system was incorrect. The NTSB said the explosion occurred within hours of the gas leak being reported to PECO.

In a statement following the document release, PECO said it recognizes "the importance of continuous improvement and vigilance with respect to the safe and reliable delivery of electric and natural gas service." The company said it has already taken steps to enhance safety, including relocating indoor meters to outdoor locations and providing additional training for technicians.

Lawrence Anastasi, president of IBEW Local 614, the union representing PECO workers, was blunt in his assessment. "The sins of PECO management were paid for in blood, and this is a wake-up call," he said in part. "There is catastrophic neglect across the system that will cause more fatalities if left unaddressed."

PECO later issued an updated statement Friday evening, saying in part that "commenting publicly on the investigation before it is complete is irresponsible. Speculation and premature conclusions undermine the process, distract from the facts and do a disservice to those affected."

The NTSB continues to investigate the explosion and typically issues final reports one to two years after an accident. For the Bristol Township community, the newly disclosed records raise urgent questions about utility oversight and whether the safety failures that preceded the tragedy have been fully corrected.