Death toll rises after explosion makes two buildings collapse in Harlem

A major explosion caused by a gas leak flattened two Manhattan apartment buildings in a fireball on Wednesday, killing at least five people and injuring 63 others.

The new, fifth fatality was a body pulled from the rubble, the fire department said tonight, CNN and other news outlets reported.

A tenant said residents had complained repeatedly in recent weeks about “unbearable” gas smells, CBS News reported.

The fourth body, an adult male, was pulled from the rubble by rescue workers searching for victims amid the broken bricks, splintered wood and mangled metal after firefighters spent most of the day dousing the flames.

Heavy equipment, including backhoes and a bulldozer, arrived to clear the mountain of debris where the two five-story East Harlem buildings stood. Flood lights were in place.

Thermal imaging cameras were at the ready to identify heat spots — bodies or pockets of fire.

This afternoon, the names of two people who died in the explosion were released.

Griselde Camacho, public safety officer at a public Manhattan college, and Carmen Tanco, a dental hygienist, died in the blast, authorities said.

Sgt. Camacho worked at Hunter College and was assigned to the Silberman School of Social Work building, located at 119th Street and Third Avenue, according to the school.

In a statement, Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab said, “Griselde was a well-liked member of our community, a respected officer and a welcoming presence at our Silberman building. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support them in their time of great emotional need.”

The school says it is planning to hold a memorial for Camacho.

A faculty member at Hunter told NBC 4 New York Camacho was dedicated to her job.

Across the street from where she worked, a deli worker said the officer always had a smile on her face when came into the store.

Tanco, 67, was in her Park Avenue apartment in Harlem at the time of the explosion, according to News 12, where a cousin of Tanco works as a cameraman.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called the incident “a tragedy of the worst kind’’ and warned a number of people were still unaccounted for, raising fears of possible further losses.

One tenant said residents had complained repeatedly in recent weeks about “unbearable’’ gas smells.

Smoke billowed above the city’s skyline, and sidewalks in Manhattan’s Harlem section were

littered with broken glass from shattered storefront and apartment windows.

Witnesses said the explosion — which happened late last night Australian time — was so powerful it knocked groceries off store shelves and sent people running into the streets.

“There’s nothing left,’’ said Eusebio Perez, 48, who lived in one of the buildings and rushed home from work as soon as he heard the news.

“Just a bunch of bricks and wood.’’ He added: “I only have what I’m wearing.’’

The White House issued a statement offering “thoughts and prayers’’ and commending first responders. Mayor Bill de Blasio rushed to the scene and said some of those unaccounted for might have fled to safety.

The blast occurred around 9.30am local time, about 15 minutes after a nearby resident reported smelling gas, authorities said.

The gas utility ConEd said it immediately sent workers to check out the report, but they arrived too late.

Police said two women were killed. One of those hurt was reported in critical condition with head injuries. A third victim has since been located.

Four different New York hospitals said they treated a total of 63 patients, the vast majority with minor injuries.

There were 15 apartments in the two buildings that collapsed.

Fire officials said more than a dozen people were unaccounted for, but cautioned that some may not have been in the building.

Hours after the blast, firefighters were still dousing the flames with water, and rescue workers had yet to venture into the debris to search for victims.

“It felt like an earthquake had rattled my whole building,’’ said Waldemar Infante, a porter who was working in a basement nearby.

A tenant in one of the destroyed buildings, Ruben Borrero, said residents had complained to the landlord about the smell of gas as recently as Tuesday.

Borrero said city fire officials were called a few weeks ago about the odour, which he said was so bad that a tenant on the top floor broke open the door to the roof for ventilation.

The Fire Department said it was checking its records to see if it had responded to any gas complaints at the building. Con Ed spokesman Bob McGee said a preliminary review by the utility found no record of any calls from tenants of the buildings about gas leaks before Wednesday.

ConEd’s McGee said a resident from a building next to the two that were destroyed had reported smelling gas inside his apartment and thought the odour might be coming from outside. The utility dispatched two crews two minutes after the 9.15am call came in, McGee said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending a team to investigate. The agency investigates pipeline accidents in addition to transportation disasters.

The tragedy brought the neighbourhood to a standstill as police set up barricades to keep residents away. Thick, acrid smoke caused people’s eyes to water. Some wore surgical masks, while others held their hands or scarfs over their faces.

One of the side-by-side buildings had a piano store on the first floor, the other a storefront church. Building Department records don’t show any work in progress at either address, but the building with the church had obtained permits to install new gas pipes in June.

The Metro-North commuter railroad, which serves 280,000 riders a day in New York and Connecticut, suspended all service to and from Grand Central for much of the day while the debris was removed from its tracks, the structural integrity of the elevated structure was checked, and test trains were run past the explosion site to see if vibrations would endanger the rescue effort. Service resumed late in the afternoon.

Thursday 13 March 2014

http://www.news.com.au/world/death-toll-rises-after-explosion-makes-two-buildings-collapse-in-harlem/story-fndir2ev-1226853086880