Post by Admin on Mar 12, 2014 20:00:57 GMT -4
EAST HARLEM (WABC) -- Federal investigators have arrived on the scene of an explosion and two building collapses at 116th Street and Park Avenue in Upper Manhattan Wednesday.
•The explosion happened at either 1644 or 1646 Park Avenue around 9:30 a.m.
•Both buildings collapsed down to the first floor, littering the area with debris
•At least three people are dead and 64 others injured, at least two of them critically
•Rescue workers have begun the search for victims, with nine occupants of the buildings still unaccounted for
•A team of NTSB experts has arrived to investigate the cause of the explosion
At least three are dead. One victim has been as 44-year old Griselde Camacho, a public safety sergeant at Hunter College, while the others remain unidentified.
At least 64 other people are injured, at least two of them critically, including a 15-year old boy. Harlem Hospital reports it has 13 patients, and Mount Sinai confirms it received 23 patients, including three children.
Metropolitan Hospital has received 17 patients, and New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center has at least two. Six people have been treated and released. The ranking official at the scene the situation is fluid and that the numbers are constantly changing.
The injured include two FBI agents who were in the vicinity on an unrelated matter, and an off-duty NYPD officer who lives nearby. Those injuries are minor.
Mayor Bill de Blasio gave a press conference at the scene, confirming that authorities are still trying to locate several individuals and urging those concerned for their loved ones to call 311 while a hotline is being set up. Officials say more than a dozen people are presently unaccounted for.
"There's a tremendous amount of anxiety, but suffice it to say, every effort is being made to locate these individuals," de Blasio said. He added, "This is a tragedy of the worst kind because there was no indication in time to save people."
The preliminary cause is attributed to gas, and Con Edison confirms that it was responding to a report of a gas odor in the area just before the explosion occurred. The call came in at 9:13 a.m. from a resident who indicated the odor may have been coming from outside the building.
Two Con Edison crews were dispatched at 9:15 a.m. and arrived just after the explosion occurred. The street is served by an 8-inch low-pressure gas main that fed both buildings. Con Edison is checking gas lines and working to isolate any leaks. Fire crews were on the scene within two minutes.
All electric and gas service was shut down between East 116th and East 117th Streets on the west side of Park Avenue, as well as on the north side of East 116th Street near Park Avenue. In a statement, Con Edison said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, loved ones, and friends of the victims, to all who have been involved, and to all who are affected."
A resident of one of the collapsed buildings, Ruben Borrero, said residents had complained to the landlord for weeks about the smell of gas, as recently as Tuesday. Con Ed says it received no gas complaints from the building before Wednesday. The Fire Department said it was checking its records for any gas complaints at the building.
A team of NTSB experts arrived on the scene Wednesday evening to begin their investigation. "We will be looking at Con Ed's integrity management system, to see how they handled complaints reporting odors of gas," said NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt. "We will look for any evidence of third party damage by digging."
Sumwalt said the NTSB will be examining the pipeline that distributes natural gas to the area.
East Harlem residents reported hearing a large explosion in the five-story building around 9:30 a.m. The address is either 1644 or 1646 Park Avenue, both of which have businesses on ground floor and apartments above. 1644 has six residential units, while 1646 has nine units.
Both structures collapsed to the first floor, and neighboring buildings were also damaged. Firefighters spent several hours battling the resulting five-alarm fire.
Officials say one of the buildings was occupied, and some residents made it out. Rescue workers have begun the search for victims. So far canine units have not picked up any scent in the debris.
Smoke poured from the top of the buildings, and huge amounts of debris littered the surrounding sidewalks and elevated tracks in the area.
The heavy smoke lasted for hours, and could be seen for miles. The city's Department of Environmental Protection is monitoring air quality in the surrounding area.
Surrounding buildings in the area were evacuated, but the Buildings Department said the blast did not affect the structural integrity of other buildings.
Con Ed said it remains to be seen whether the leak was in a company main or in customer-installed inside plumbing. The gas main that serves the area was made of plastic and cast iron, and the iron dated to 1887, Con Ed senior vice president Edward Foppiano said.
Spanish Christian Church is on the ground floor at 1644, with Absolute Piano at 1646. The Spanish Christian Church has been at the location for decades.
The Red Cross has set up a relief center is PS 57, at 176 E. 115th Street. Food, water and a safe place is available for those affected. Mental health counseling is also being provided.
About 100 displaced people have arrived at the school, and dozens more are there inquiring about the whereabouts of family members.
Metro-North Railroad has restored all service to and from Grand Central Terminal that was suspended after the explosion.
New Haven and Harlem line service was restored earlier in the afternoon, and Hudson Line service was restored as additional tracks reopened.
Pray for the hurt and the lost.
C
