Building Explosion NYC Building Collapse Fire Explosion New York City 7 Alarm Fire

Building Explosion NYC Building Collapse Fire Explosion New York City 7 Alarm Fire Building Explosion NYC Building Collapse Explosion New York City Building Explosion NYC Building Collapse Explosion New York City Building Explosion NYC Building Collapse Explosion New York City Fire rages after explosion, collapse at East Village apartment building

AST VILLAGE (WABC) —
There was an explosion and collapse at an apartment building in Manhattan Thursday, and a seven-alarm fire raged in the aftermath.

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The blast happened on Second Avenue at East 7th Street in the East Village around 3:15 p.m.

The FDNY arrived on the scene to find a sushi restaurant on the lower level collapsed and smoke pluming throughout the five-story building. Then flames began shooting through the roof and quickly spread to a neighboring building.

Firefighters were pouring water onto the flames, but they had to pull back due to the intensity. The front of the structure came down shortly afterwards, and there were fears that the second building would also fall.

Evacuations were underway at all adjoining buildings, and charred rubble littered the sidewalk.

“I was going to have sushi at that place, and then I decided to get Ramen, so it’s only like three doors down,” a witness named Alexandria said. “And then all the sudden, the whole building shook, and it looked like the glass was like rubber as it shook, and it pushed me forward. And I ran out, and I saw people climbing out of the building. I saw one woman bleeding profusely, and she was out of it and didn’t know where she was going.”

Fire officials said that at least six people were injured, one critically, though it was unclear if anyone may have been trapped in the building. Many more people were believed to be hurt.

There were several mayday calls, but no firefighters were immediately injured.

All crosstown streets from First Avenue to Third Avenue are closed from East 14th Street to East Houston. One person is in critical and several others are injured after a seven-alarm fire erupted in Manhattan’s East Village this afternoon following a “major building collapse,” the FDNY said.

It is unclear how many are injured and how many people were in the buildings when the fire occurred, according to the fire department.

All firefighters are accounted for.