NYC Explosion: Two Killed, Dozens Hurt, Explosion Caused By Gas Leak

Earlier today, it was reported here on The Inquisitr that two buildings, located in East Harlem, exploded. Now, it is reported that two women were killed and dozens were injured. Reports also the cause of the explosion, by circumstantial evidence, was a major gas leak.

According to Pix 11, the explosion happened on 116th Street and Park Avenue just after 9:30 am. Smoke poured out continuously at the explosion site, where as many as 255 firefighters fought flames. Multiple people are still unaccounted for, and the mayor resisted giving a specific number, during a news conference, where he said:

“We’re expending every effort to locate each and every loved one. Hopefully we’ll find that some of them are in other parts of the city and have just not been located yet.”

“There was no warning in advance. It’s a tragedy of the worst kind because there was no indication.”

Now, there seems to be a more solid number on accounted people, as per Fox 43 News. A law enforcement source stated that about 10 people remained missing for hours after the blast while firefighters frantically picked through rubble for survivors. The number of injured climbed through the afternoon: at least 52 were reported. Harlem Hospital received 13 patients, including a child in critical condition, a spokeswoman at Harlem Hospital said.

Mount Sinai Hospital was treating 22 patients, including a woman with head trauma in intensive care. Three of them were seriously injured, another spokeswoman, for Mount Sinai Hospital, informed. Many patients came in on their own, some children.

Finally for people confirmed, Metropolitan Hospital Center received 17 patients; nine adults and one child were evaluated under stable condition.

The injured includes two FBI agents, who were in the vicinity of the explosion. Their injuries were not life-threatening, The identities of the two women who were killed were not made available.

Despite the efforts of New York’s police officers and firefighters, there are still people missing. One woman was trying in vain, to find her husband, Jordy Salas, who might possibly have been on the second floor of one of the collapsed buildings. She eventually fainted and was taken to a hospital.

The cause of the explosion is unclear, but Bob McGee, a spokesman for Con Ed, said the utility received a call about a gas leak at 9:13 am, just 15 minutes before the explosion. It came from a resident of one of the newer buildings on Park Avenue. The utility dispatched a truck two minutes later, but arrived after the explosion.

The Inquisitr will report more news as it becomes available.

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