MOTT HAVEN, Bronx (WABC) — There were no reports of injuries after an explosion in the Bronx caused a partial collapse of a high-rise apartment building on Wednesday morning.
It happened at NYCHA’s Mitchel Houses on Alexander Avenue in the Mott Haven section just after 8 a.m.
The explosion is believed to have occurred in the boiler, which collapsed the chimney structure, officials said. An investigation into what caused the explosion is underway.
“We do not yet know the cause of the chimney collapse, but remain committed to transparency, to assisting impacted residents, and to ensuring the safety of residents and of the public,” NYCHA said in a statement.
WATCH VIDEO OF THE EXPLOSION AND COLLAPSE:
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New video shows the Bronx building partially collapse after a gas explosion.
City officials held a press conference later Wednesday morning and said there were no fatalities or any injuries in connection to the incident.
“We avoided a major disaster here,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.
The explosion collapsed the shaft of the 20-story building, which appeared to be an entire corner of the high-rise.
A birds eye drone photo provided of the partial building collapse in the Bronx by the FDNY.
FDNY
The collapse sent a small mountain of bricks and debris onto the ground below, just feet from a playground and across the street from a school. Two NYPD K-9s searched the rubble with no indication of anyone trapped.
Cleanup could be a ‘long operation’
Some demolition will take place to remove the remnants of the chimney, to get into the basement and then to restore services heat, hot water and cooking gas to the campus, officials said.
A pile of bricks and debris could be seen at the site of the collapse.
Crews have to take down what’s left of that chimney, brick by brick with a sledgehammer. They can’t use an electric tool because the vibration could cause what’s rest of it to collapse. It is a process that could take all morning.
“This is going to be a long, long operation,” Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry said. “We don’t have an exact time of how long this is going to take, but there are going to be some closures in the neighborhood for the next couple of weeks.”
A safety fence has been installed in the collapse zone.
Displaced residents relocated to hotels
As for residents, the thunderous sound sent them scurrying outside as shock, fear and panic followed them out the door.
“The fact that half of the building is gone and you felt it…luckily everybody was able to get out safe, but feeling it and the intensity, and going downstairs, you could barely go downstairs, everybody is trying to go downstairs. People were carrying babies, people got no shoes on, got no coats, no hats, it’s cold outside,” said Destiny Copeland, who lives on the 16th floor.
Residents along the F and G lines of the building, including 34 households with 84 residents, were evacuated and have been temporarily relocated for at least two nights, according to NYCHA. The DOB has issued a full vacate order for 38 apartments on those lines.
DOB inspectors say the building, which houses more than 3,400 people,is structurally sound for all other residents, but if they feel unsafe to return home, they will also be placed in a hotel.
NYCHA says they believe that the impacts are only to the exterior of the building in the chimney and the boiler room and that residents will be able to return to their apartments in the coming days.
NYCHA Human Services is currently assisting 140 residents relocating to a hotel, with the American Red Cross assisting with food and supplies, according to the Office of Emergency Management.
“There is a lot of concern, a lot of anxiety from the residents that live here at Mitchel about what happens in the long term, and so over the next several hours, as inspectors are in the building, we will do everything possible to make sure that we minimize the disruption and the anxiety of the residents and the families here in this working class community,” said Gibson said.
Con Edison shut off gas service to the impacted building, and there is also no heat or water. A collapsed underground water main was also reported as a result of the explosion.
It appears the incinerator shaft collapsed along the length of the entire building.
CitizenApp
In the meantime, NYCHA says hot plates are being distributed, and watering stations and mobile boilers are also being staged on site.
While some residents have already relocated, others are choosing to stick it out, like Michelle Winston, who lives on the 12th floor, and Eusebia Sosa, who lives on the 11th.
“Nervous, scared, in doubt, but I have to trust in the holy god and make sure, he makes sure we’re OK,” Winston said.
Investigation into the cause of the collapse underway
The investigation into the cause of the collapse that the Mitchell Houses, which were built in 1966, will undoubtedly focus on the timing of the blast, which happened after testing the boiler on Wednesday morning.
Records show the building has been having boiler problems for at least the past few months. A work permit was issued last month to fix it.
Daughtry said there were no documented reports of residents calling 911 or 311 for smell of gas before the collapse.
“That doesn’t mean they didn’t smell gas, but we are still investigating,” he said.
October 1 is the first day of the heat season for NYCHA buildings across the five boroughs. Officials said Wednesday that all NYCHA heating systems underwent a summer overhaul to make sure the equipment is ready for the winter season.
NYCHA says this equipment is always turned on and functioning because it provides hot water to the buildings and is serviced throughout the year and proactively maintained.
“So, we have to wait for the investigation to see exactly what happened here in order to prevent this from ever happening again,” said Eva Trimble, with NYCHA.
The Buildings Department website shows there was a partial stop work order on this building from June 25.
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