Three people have died and at least 60 have suffered injuries after an explosion levelled two apartment buildings in East Harlem, New York.
Residents heard a large explosion near Park Avenue and 116th Street in East Harlem around 9 a.m. Wednesdasy. Flames and dark smoke billowed into the air.
The explosion occurred at 1644 and 1646 Park Avenue, apartment buildings in East Harlem, New York.
One five-story building was reduced to rubble, and a second building also was badly damaged.
Before the explosion occurred, utility company Con Edison was on the scene, responding to a report of gas odour at 1652 Park Avenue. The call came roughly 30 minutes before the explosion, and the company immediately sent a team to respond.
“The call came in at 9:13am from a resident who reported smelling gas from inside the apartment. But the resident said the smell may have been coming from outside the apartment,” a spokesperson for Con Edison told Global News. The company would not speculate on whether a gas leak caused the explosion.
In a press conference following the explosion, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the call made to the Con Edison was the only indication that there may have been danger. He also said there are still a number of people missing.
Over 250 fire fighters were on the scene, working to extinguish flames, carefully remove debris and continue to search for people potentially trapped in the rubble.
A street-view image below shows what the buildings looked like before the explosion:
With files from The Associated Press
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