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New York City building collapses after explosion One dead as New York City building collapses after blast
(35 minutes later)
New York City emergency crews are responding to reports of an explosion and building collapse that has reportedly injured 11 people. New York City Police Department says one person has died after an explosion in an apartment building that then collapsed.
The incident occurred at 116th Street and Park Avenue on Wednesday morning. Local TV stations report that 11 people suffered minor injuries in the incident in East Harlem.
East Harlem residents reported hearing a blast in the five-storey apartment building before it caved in, according to US media. Residents heard a blast in the five-storey building at 116th Street and Park Avenue before it caved in.
Aerial images of the site showed a huge pall of smoke or dust with fire crews dousing the rubble. All train services in and out of Grand Central terminal have been halted following the incident near its tracks.
Local media have reported at least 11 people suffered injuries, while a nearby hospital said it had received one patient with heavy trauma. The New York fire department has elevated the incident to the highest threat level possible.
The local utility has been called to shut off the gas following the explosion, which damaged windows in the area, reports WABC TV. It announced it has dispatched 168 members from more than three dozen nearby fire stations to battle the blaze.
'Gas smell''Gas smell'
"It was an explosion and a building collapsed," a spokesman for New York Police Department told AFP news agency. The local utility has been called to shut off the gas following the explosion, which damaged windows in the area, reports WABC TV.
A witness told the BBC "there was just a lot of panic" following the explosion.
Dan Scarvino had just emerged on to a nearby train platform when "suddenly a plume of smoke came out of nowhere".
"I've never seen anything like it," he added.
A witness told the New York Daily News she had smelled gas "for weeks" before the explosion.A witness told the New York Daily News she had smelled gas "for weeks" before the explosion.
"We saw people flying out of the window... those are my neighbours," Ashley Rivera said."We saw people flying out of the window... those are my neighbours," Ashley Rivera said.
Another witness working near the site told the newspaper he heard two loud explosions that shook his shop. Another witness told the newspaper he heard two loud explosions that shook the barber shop where he works.
"It was loud, like boom, boom!" Mitch Abreu said. "It rocked the whole block."It was loud, like boom, boom!" Mitch Abreu said. "It rocked the whole block.
"A window blew out of the other shop down the street," he added."A window blew out of the other shop down the street," he added.
"It looked like the [Twin] towers all over again. People covered in dust and covering their mouths." "It looked like the [Twin] Towers all over again. People covered in dust and covering their mouths."
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