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“The firefighters were rescuing people from the building and EMS was providing lifesaving treatment right on the scene, saving multiple lives,” FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said.
Residents described the frightening moments after the explosion.
“We all heard a boom. I thought the building collapsed. It felt like an earthquake,” one resident said.
Another neighbor said the blast caused the ceiling to collapse inside their apartment.
“I heard an explosion and then the ceiling fell and hit me in my head,” the resident said.
A resident who entered the apartment where the fire started said flames spread rapidly from the kitchen.
“The fire was from the kitchen. The stove, there was fire… the whole closet was in flames,” the resident said.
More than 300 firefighters responded to the scene. Officials said the explosion blew hinges off doors and window frames across the street, creating dangerous conditions for firefighters as they searched the building.
The city’s Department of Buildings must determine whether the structure is safe before residents are allowed to return home.
FDNY officials said they reviewed department call logs and found no reports of gas leaks at the building this year. Con Edison shut off gas service to the building after the explosion.
The cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation.