12 March 2014 (10:31-10:48 UTC-07 Tango)/10 Jumada l-Ula 1435/21 Esfand 1392/12 Ding-Mao 4712
“God forbid if there are people still inside that building.”-Bill de Blasio. Mayor of New York City
The mayor of New York City just gave these highlights during a press conference: “Number of missing individuals”.
Two people dead, 18 injured.
Explosion reported about 09:30 hours eastern U.S. time.
Believed to be massive gas explosion, destroyed two buildings.
Surrounding buildings impacted.
ConEd struggling to turn off multiple gas mains.
5 alarm fire.
Fire Department City of New York officials explained that heavy equipment has to be brought in to remove debris in order to conduct a search and rescue effort.
Fire officials also clarified that the report of a gas leak came from a different building, not from the buildings that exploded. ConEd confirmed gas leak report was from neighboring building, and that the smell was outside the building.
City official says there was no “legal” construction work being done on any of the buildings. No permits applied for. City officials say they have no recorded violations of building codes concerning one of the buildings that exploded.
People are still being evacuated from surrounding buildings, Red Cross setting up at public school to take in evacuees.