A 17-story apartment building in New York City partially collapsed after a gas explosion.
The blast occurred at the NYC Housing Authority’s Mitchel Houses on Alexander Avenue near East 137th Street in the Bronx shortly around 8am today.
An incinerator shaft attached to the complex fell, leaving a gaping hole along the side of the structure, according to the New York City Fire Department.
The rest of the building remained intact.
No one was injured and there was no damage reported to any of the apartments, said the department.
The structure appeared to be stable but is being evaluated by the Department of Buildings. The agency’s website showed that there was a partial stop work order issued to the building from June 25.
Two K-9s searched the rubble and debris and did not find signs of anyone trapped, according to the New York Police Department.
The housing authority stated that it joined the fire, police and building departments, New York City Emergency Management and Con Edison in responding to the scene.
‘Early reports are of an explosion in a building chimney,’ stated the housing authority.
‘Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of this event and the extent of any damage beyond the reported exterior damage to the chimney.
‘Agencies are on site to ensure the safety of residents and the public.’
Mayor Eric Adams said he had been briefed on the ’emergency situation’ in the Mott Haven area.
‘We are getting a full assessment from first responders and will continue to provide updates,’ he wrote on X.
‘Please avoid the area for your safety.’
The cause of the explosion is under investigation. The blast reportedly also caused an underground water main to collapse.
Residents gathered at a community center at Alexander Avenue and 138th Street.
Bronx borough president Vanessa Gibson said many residents had left their apartments at the time of the explosion and that children were at school.
‘We avoided a major disaster here,’ she said.
Adams said that October 1 is the first day that building heaters are turned on ahead of the winter and that many residents were turning on their boilers. He urged them to be careful when gas is involved.
‘Repairs are going to take place no matter what,’ he said, when asked if the federal government shutdown would affect the investigation and work to rebuild.
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