A residential building in the Bronx, New York, experienced a partial collapse on Wednesday morning, an event believed to be caused by an explosion. Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene. Fortunately, authorities have confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from the incident.
The collapse appears to have originated from an explosion within the ventilation shaft of a boiler room, according to Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker. While no apartments within the building sustained damage, some residents were temporarily evacuated as a safety measure. Services such as gas have been temporarily shut off to the building as investigations into the cause are underway.
Mayor Eric Adams stated that the investigation will focus on determining if a gas leak was the cause of the explosion. The New York City Housing Authority, which manages the building, is also conducting its own review of the incident and the extent of the damage. Public records indicate that the building has had several open violations, including one concerning facade safety and another related to an unsafe facade condition.
This incident follows a fire in the same building just a week prior, which critically injured a teenage girl. An assembly member for the district, Amanda Septimo, emphasized the need for proactive safety measures, stating, “But we can’t be relying on luck to keep our community safe.”