A woman has died after a suspected gas explosion caused a fire and collapse at a Bronx home.
The incident happened just before 11 a.m. at a home on Fox Street near Intervale Avenue in the Longwood section of the borough.
An 82-year-old woman died in the incident. A 77-year-old woman is in critical condition. A 68-year-old woman was injured but is in stable condition.
Five police officers were taken to a nearby for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters are searching the rubble for possible additional victims.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but officials suspect a gas explosion.
“I was in my room, and my mom was the one that came to my room, yelling, like, ‘Oh my God, I felt the room shake. Something must’ve happened,’” a neighbor told CBS2’s Jenna DeAngelis. “It’s really sad. You know, people lost their homes.”
Video from the scene shows plumes of smoke climbing into the air. Large chunks of the building’s façade can be seen strewn about. The structure partially collapsed.
Firefighters were attacking the fire from the outside because they remained concerned about a further collapse.
NYPD investigators will work with the fire marshal to determine the official cause of the blast. There was no immediate indication of any criminality.
The FDNY said the fire grew to two alarms.
Con Edison was expected to shut down gas in the immediate area, Salamanca tweeted.
