On Wednesday morning, a partial collapse occurred in a 17-story apartment building in the Bronx, triggering fears and evacuations among residents. The collapse, attributed to a suspected gas explosion, took place around 8 a.m. at the New York City Housing Authority’s Mitchel Houses on Alexander Avenue in Mott Haven. Remarkably, no injuries were reported. However, the aftermath of the event left many residents shaken and uncertain about their future in the building.
Authorities swiftly deployed drones and trained K-9 units to scour the debris for anyone who might have been harmed. The building stands opposite a school, raising concerns about the explosion’s impact on nearby students. The New York Fire Department responded promptly, commencing efforts to clear the wreckage and assess the situation.
According to residents, a strong smell of gas had been noticeable in the area prior to the incident. “Today is very strong,” one tenant expressed, citing her fears about living in the building. “I feel so scared. I don’t want to live there anymore because we have a lot of complaints. But they don’t pay mind.”
Witnesses described the moment of collapse as chaotic. One resident, Diamond Freeman, reported a “big boom” that preceded the building’s destruction. “When you looked out, the whole building just went boom, it fell. Then you heard another boom, and all the side of the building just fell. It was crazy. All you see is smoke,” she recounted. Her vivid account highlights not only the panic of the moment but also the frightening spectacle of the building disintegrating.
Meanwhile, a week prior to the explosion, a fire had erupted in the same building, leaving a teenage girl critically injured. The repeated incidents have raised serious questions about safety protocols and building maintenance. Following the collapse, bricks were reported to have fallen onto the street and neighboring structures. Water bubbling from the ground was noted, indicating potential damage to sub-surface pipes, a concern that could lead to further complications in an already unstable environment.
As officials continue to assess the damage and investigate the cause of the explosion, uncertainty looms over residents hoping to return home. The implications of this collapse reach beyond the immediate physical destruction, emphasizing the ongoing issues surrounding building safety and tenant rights within the city.
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