Manhattan - Major Emergency Building Explosion and Collapse w/ Fire 3-12-14

[x635 4,066]

Date: 3-12-14
Time: 0930hrs

Incident Type: 2 adjacent buildings completely collapsed w/ fire and extension to exposures after an explosion..
Location: 1644 & 1646 Park Ave adjacent to elevated Metro North tracks C/S E 118th St

District: Manhattan

Box: 1406

Alarm Level: 10-60 Code 2 5th Alarm

Weather: 52 degrees, cloudy
Units: (See Below)

Description: Building explosion w/ collapse and fire in two adjacent 5 story OMD buildings. Possible explosion prior. Multiple TL's in operation. Fire has extended to exposures. All Metro-North trains in and out of Grand Central are suspended.

Buildings reported to be pre-war walk-up residential tenements with a church on the floor of one, and a piano shop on the first floor of the second.

Heavy debris on Metro North tracks, all service suspended in and out of Grand Central

Per EMS Command, as of 13471hrs, 24 victims with various injuries, 2 females being DOA. Still victims unaccounted for trying to rectify.

Residents of building and buildings in area reported smelling natural gas (capsaicin) last night and this morning. Con Ed confirms they were responding to odor of gas in the area minutes prior to the explosion.

Congressman Charlie Engel states the building has 60 open building Code Violations

Rescue 4 to scene, Rescue 6 in service covering R4 at their quarters.

Staging Area: E 110/Park Ave

Units:

(EXTENSIVE UNITS FROM ALL CITY AGENCIES, INCLUDING NUMEROUS SPECIAL CALL SOC UNITS)

Edited March 13, 2014 by x635
Updated