New York – Twenty five people have been confirmed injured and four others critically injured following an explosion caused two 2nd Avenue buildings to collapse as two other buildings caught fire. The explosion is said to have been caused by construction workers from Sushi Restaurant who accidentally hit a gas line.
Apparently, Consolidated Edison inspectors, a gas and electric utility company had visited the building just an hour earlier and just before the intense flames consumed the building. It is from the same building where they had made it clear that the gas-related work being donewas ‘unacceptable because a space for the new meters wasn’t big enough.
The first reports of the disaster that people are possibly trapped on upper floors of the buildings hastened the response of Rescue crews who converged quickly.
Twenty minutes later firefighters were on the ground and on ladders pouring water on the flames that were leaping the three stories from the roof of the buildings.
One 23-year-old Nicholas Figueroa and who had taken a co – worker for lunch at Sushi Park has been reported missing. According to his family who accessed a bank statement, Figueroa has spent $13.04 at the restaurant.
He could not be traced neither from the makeshift Red Cross center that had been set up at the neighborhood nor at the nearby hospital. Among the injured are four firefighters and one EMS worker while two more people are yet to be accounted for.
Troy Hinson who is a resident at East Village and who lives three blocks away from the site of the explosion explained that it took place when he was walking towards the restaurant. “I felt the entire street shudder and one could literally feel the ripple inside you”. Troy stated when being interviewed on the same.
The residents of four damaged or destroyed buildings have since been offered a free three-night stay by a hotel nearby while other local restaurants offered free meals.
New York Mayor Bill De Blasio (D) has since warned of drawing conclusions citing that firefighters are yet to go through the rumbles.
Image Credits: Reuters.