NEW YORK -- At least 12 people were injured, three of them critically, in a gas-related explosion that rocked a sushi restaurant in Manhattan's East Village Thursday afternoon, sending debris into the street and a plume of dark grey smoke towering over the city.
Police cordoned off the area as an ensuing fire raged inside the five-story, mixed-residency building near 7th Street and Second Avenue. The avenue was closed from 14th Street to Houston Street, as a putrid smell drifted into offices blocks away, including Mashable's headquarters.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));At least 12 people were injured, three of them critically, in a gas-related explosion that rocked a sushi restaurant in Manhattan's East Village Thursday afternoon, sending debris into the street and a plume of dark grey smoke towering over the city.Posted by Mashable News on Thursday, March 26, 2015
"To the best of our knowledge, they were working on the gas" at the time of the explosion, an FDNY official said at a press briefing.
Two people were said to have burns to their airways, and one remains unconscious. The majority of injuries happened at the moment of the explosion.
An FDNY spokesperson told Mashable that more than 250 firefighters responded to the scene, making it a seven-alarm fire. All first responders were accounted for, officials said, and no one was trapped inside.
Scott Westerfeld, an author who was nearby at the time of the explosion, tweeted that he heard a "very large boom" and saw that the building's ground floor was "blown halfway across the street," which knocked "lots of people" down.
"Civilians were helping people out from wreckage blown across the street," he said.
Michelle Conrad, who told WNYC she was walking home up Second Avenue when she heard "a giant explosion," said she "saw people running" and "glass flying."
At least one woman was seen climbing down the building's fire escape in the moments before it was overtaken by flames.
Major explosion on 2nd ave and 7th street. New Yorkers being awesome and helping this young lady get down! pic.twitter.com/YxGh2C68IP— Niraj Desai (@nayramz) March 26, 2015
Emergency workers quickly arrived at the scene and began taking away the injured in stretchers, as firefighters doused the flames with jets of water aimed through the building's shattered windows.
Its roof began to crumble under the power of their hoses, sending large pieces of its walls crashing to the street below.
FDNY photo shows what firefighters are confronting. pic.twitter.com/GsBe4jfvkU— Pervaiz Shallwani (@Pervaizistan) March 26, 2015
Consolidated Edison shut down gas service in the area. Westerfeld, still on the scene, tweeted that workers were "drilling into the street" nearby.
A police dog, typically used to search for bodies, sat nearby.
Matthew Maher, the owner of the nearby McSorley's Old Ale House -- the oldest Irish tavern in New York -- told Mashable his daughter felt the whole building shake.
"I was pretty worried there for a minute. I was afraid the place might burn down," he said.
Onlookers from across the city, both near and far, shared photos of the explosion and its aftermath.
A photo posted by John Swan (@johnswanjovi) on Mar 26, 2015 at 12:28pm PDT
Building just exploded near me A video posted by Lee Washington (@rleewashington) on Mar 26, 2015 at 12:28pm PDT
Whole building is in flames now. pic.twitter.com/U3zGUPqi86— Scott Westerfeld (@ScottWesterfeld) March 26, 2015
#BREAKING: Aerial view of building collapse @NYPD9Pct. Numerous rescue units on scene #SOD #ESU #K9 #Aviation #FD pic.twitter.com/d9iX4GOBUd— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) March 26, 2015
Flames have engulfed the entire roof of the building after the explosion on 2nd ave and 7th street east village pic.twitter.com/XN9eaUr089— Jonathan (@jmeyers44) March 26, 2015
thoughts & prayers with those involved and responding to East Village fire. #FDNY #EastVillage pic.twitter.com/VjbZNGsKP9— Jay Balanka (@JBalanka) March 26, 2015
The NYPD has set up a displacement shelter for local residents at PS 63 located at 121 East 3rd street. The Red Cross is assisting people at the scene.
Several people who say they live on this block have been told pretty vague things about when they might be allowed back in. A fireman said "maybe in a couple hours," and a police officer just told people to call 311.
Speaking to reporters Thursday evening, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned New Yorkers to remain vigilant if they smell gas.
"Any time you smell gas, you need to call 911 immediately or call Con Ed immediately," he said.