NEW YORK – An explosion following a gas leak tore through two apartment buildings in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, leveling the buildings, killing at least two people and injuring at least 36 others.
The explosion and collapse of the two buildings in East Harlem— at 1644 and 1646 Park Avenue, just blocks from Central Park — blew out windows in cars and buildings in the area, spewed smoke into the air, reverberated for blocks and scattered debris on the surrounding streets, sidewalks and elevated train tracks.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the explosion appeared to stem from a gas leak.
“This is a tragedy of the worst kind because there was no indication in time to save people,” he said during an afternoon press conference.
Authorities said it appeared the only warning came not long before the explosion. Con Edison said that it received a call at 9:13 a.m. about a gas odor in the area. Two crews were dispatched minutes later, but they arrived after the explosion, which occurred at around 9:30 a.m.
The two people who were killed were both female, according to the New York City Police Department. There were also at least 22 other people injured, the New York Fire Department reported; two of them had life-threatening injuries, while another five had serious but not life-threatening injuries.
A fire department official cautioned that the injury number could change, noting that some people may only seek medical treatment later or take themselves to a hospital.
Many people were also missing in the hours after the explosion, though police and fire officials declined to provide an exact number since it’s unclear how many people simply could not be reached.
The two collapsed buildings together had 15 residential units, authorities said.
Hundreds of emergency responders headed to the scene, working to put out the fire, clearing debris, searching for victims and transporting people who needed medical attention.
“It’s going to be a long, extended operation to make sure that we can get through that debris as quickly as possible,” said Salvatore J. Cassano, the fire commissioner.
The initial call about gas came from someone in a nearby building, authorities said.
Con Edison said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that it would “conduct a thorough investigation” to figure out what caused the explosion. The utility shut down electric and gas service around the vicinity while crews work to make sure the area is safe, it said.
Erika Colon came up to East Harlem on Wednesday to help her mother, who lives in a building for seniors a block and a half away from the explosion.
“This is awful and ridiculous,” said Colon, 35, who lives downtown. “My mom said she was smelling gas out her window since Monday.”
In the hours after the explosion, the scene was still chaotic. People wore masks to protect against the smoke-filled air.
The block between Madison and Park avenues was choked with barriers, police, fire trucks, Red Cross workers and city employees, stranding some who live in the heavily residential neighborhood.
“I want to go home!” said Carmen Ortiz, 35, a home health aide who works downtown. Her apartment was on the closed block. “I’ve been working for six hours and they won’t let me in my apartment.”
Ortiz left for work early, so she missed the explosions that occurred just east of her building. She returned at 3:30 p.m. but couldn’t get all the way home.
“I don’t want to stay at a shelter tonight,” she said. “My grandma’s over on 103rd, on the west side. I’ll probably head on over there.”
The Red Cross established a disaster relief center at a nearby elementary school, offering shelter and aid to people affected by the collapse.The injured could file case for personal injury and get compendated. The Charlotte work injury law firm can explain about the legalities associated with it.
President Obama was briefed on the incident, the White House said. A team from the National Transportation Safety Board was dispatched to investigate the explosion.
Anyone seeking information about friends or family was encouraged to call 311 from inside New York or all 212-639-9675 from outside New York.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspended Metro-North rail service in and out of Grand Central Terminal for several hours. Debris from the explosions had landed on Metro-North’s elevated tracks, which run over Park Avenue.
Crews worked to clear debris from the tracks while, just over their shoulders, firefighters worked to put out the fire eating at the remains of the buildings. Metro-North service was fully restored just before 5 p.m.
People reported hearing or feeling the explosion at least several blocks away. Closer to it, Maurice Watson said he heard “a big, loud boom” from his nearby home on the top floor of a five-story apartment building.
“The floor shook,” said Watson, 30, who had Wednesday off from work. “I was surfin’. I braced myself and slid to the windows. I saw a mini-9/11 cloud of smoke, and debris was flying all through it.”
Watson went outside to have a look and then around the corner for coffee and a pack of cigarettes. When he got outside, police told him he couldn’t go back into his home.
“But it’s all right. I have family nearby I can stay with,” he said. “As long as nobody’s hurt …the buildings are gone. And tomorrow’s gonna come.”
Source: Washington Post