A suspected gas explosion caused a partial collapse of a high-rise apartment building in New York's Bronx borough on Tuesday morning, forcing residents to flee. The blast occurred at YCHA's Mitchel Houses on Alexander Avenue shortly after 8am, according to ABC 7.
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed during a press conference that there were no deaths or injuries as a result of the collapse. First responders used dogs and drones to search the rubble to ensure no one was harmed. The New York Fire Department stated that a gas explosion caused an incinerator shaft attached to the building to collapse, while the rest of the 17-storey structure appeared unaffected, with no damage reported to any apartments.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said the explosion happened in the building's boiler room. “There were no fatalities and no injuries as we have learned that this happened in the boiler room,” she said. The mayor added that an investigation into the cause is ongoing.
Residents described the terrifying experience. One told ABC7: “The fact that half of the building is gone and you felt it... Luckily, everybody was able to get out safe.” Another resident said the explosion sounded “like a bomb.” A neighbour who had called the city to report smoke witnessed the explosion: “Before she was about to do the transfer, the whole building just – you heard a loud boom, and the thing just exploded.”
Traffic and pedestrian restrictions have been established near the site while crews continue work. Con Edison has shut off gas to the site. The city's Buildings Department and Department of Environmental Protection also responded, determining that the explosion destroyed an underground water main. Residents will be allowed to return once inspections are complete.
