Oct 7, 2007 1:38 pm US/Eastern
New York Explosion Leaves 4 Children Critical
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
An explosion at a five-story, 20-unit apartment building in Harlem left several people seriously injured, including four children and a firefighter. The explosion sent debris and glass in every direction, causing chaos and confusion for the many people living in the area.
New York Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said a gas explosion apparently caused a flash fire, which was put out by the explosion.
The injured included four children, one critically, and one infant, Scoppetta said. A firefighter was hurt when debris fell on him when he entered the first floor of the building.
Firefighters tossed pieces of drywall in a pile outside the building, while the injured were treated in stretchers on the street.
"I heard a big boom. A big explosion. My whole house shook," said Vannatta Williams, who lives in the apartment building next door. "I thought the whole building was going to come crashing down. That's what it felt like."
The explosion started in a rear apartment on the first floor, Scoppetta said.
Residents said they heard the explosion blocks away and screams coming from the 20-unit building just after 4 p.m. Witnesses said the explosion blew out some of the building's walls. Two good Samaritans, who were cutting hair across the street ran inside the building and helped pull people out of the building.
"We ran into the building, broke down the door, and took out a little girl that was 70 percent burned," said Miguel Tena.
The local utility, Consolidated Edison, had no immediate evidence of a leak, but investigators were waiting until the building was stabilized before going into the apartment where the explosion occurred, spokeswoman D. Joy Faber said.
The apartment building and buildings on either side of it were evacuated.
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