gas explosion nyc

Published on: February 19, 2021

10 people injured in Bronx gas explosion

A gas explosion injured 10 people including several children in the Bronx, NYC.

The explosion blasted a three story multi-family residence located at 1520 Paulding Avenue in Morris Park, yesterday afternoon around 3:30 pm. A gas leak on the building’s second floor seemed to have been at the origin of the explosion according to preliminary investigations.

A tenant who was watching television on the first floor had all his windows blown out. His kitchen cabinets were thrown outside taking down the kitchen wall. Above him a mother and a baby were stuck on a balcony. The mother had to throw her baby down to her neighborgh before others helped her get down the balcony. Another mother and her two kids were stuck on the seconf floor. The blast was so powerful that even the window guards flew off and the front door of one of the appartment units got stuck in the power lines across the street. The building looked like it had been devastated by a tornado.

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Published on: October 1, 2017

Gas explosion prevention in NYC – Gas Piping Work Civil Penalty Amnesty Program to end next week

By GGCRBHS&M

gas-meters To prevent dangerous gas explosions or other gas accidents in New York City, the New York City Council passed the Gas Piping Work Civil Penalty Amnesty Program last spring. This program that will end soon offers home owners the opportunity to bring potentially unsafe gas piping work up to code compliance without being subjected to any penalties. Home owners have until October 5th to apply for a permit. In most cases the Department of Building will authorize the request the same day as it was submitted. For more information email LAA-Amnesty@buildings.nyc.gov read this Patch article

This amnesty program was created after investigations in recent deadly NYC gas explosions concluded that explosions were caused by negligent or illegal installations of pipes. In 2014 an explosion in an East Harlem building caused the death of 8 people. Last year another explosion in the East Village destroyed 3 buildings and killed two people.

Picture: courtesy of DOB

Published on: October 6, 2015

A massive gas explosion that killed a woman and injured many tenants may have been caused by an evicted tenant’s suicide attempt

By GGCRBHS&M

A woman died and at least 13 people suffered personal injury in a New York City gas explosion last week-end. The gas explosion took place at 4206 13th Avenue near 42nd Street in Borough Park, Brooklyn, around 1 pm on Saturday afternoon. The front of the building was completely destroyed and 200 firefighters were called to stop the blaze. According to investigators the gas explosion may have been caused by a tenant that had recently been evicted. In the tenant’s apartment, investigators discovered that a stove was disconnected from its gas hook. They suspect that the tenant who is still missing but was identified as Francisca Figueroa, was trying to commit suicide. She had recently posted suicidal messages on social media. Read more in the Gothamist

UPDATE:

An article that came out tonight in the Daily News indicates that Francisca Figueroa was working for a Beauty Salon and that she may have used chemicals from the salon to create the explosion. Apparently the gas had been turned off for non payment.

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