3:51 p.m. Eastern – ValueWalk is now switching to live coverage of the Manhattan building collapse. All time stamps are in Eastern times.
4:35 p.m. – ValueWalk is ending live coverage.
4:30 p.m. – More injury reports are coming in, with an unknown number of people injured in the Manhattan building explosion and collapse. The number of critical injuries has been increased to two, however, according to local media. Firefighters have called cadaver dogs to the scene. The K9 units are awaiting clearance to enter the building and conduct a search.
Officials are now saying that a gas leak is believed to be the cause of the explosion. CBS New York reports that witnesses said they smelled gas in the area right after the building collapsed.
4:18 p.m. – Quick recap of what we know:
- A building at 7th and 2nd in Manhattan’s East Village collapsed after an explosion.
- As many as four buildings at the scene are on fire.
- As many as 30 people were said to be trapped inside.
- The FDNY is doing roll calls repeatedly to keep track of all firefighters.
- At least one person has been critically injured.
- Thus far the incident is a seven-alarm event.
4:11 p.m. – The Associated Press is reporting that at least one person has been critically injured and several others are being checked out at the scene. The media outlet also describes the fire at the scene in Manhattan’s East Village as “raging.” Black smoke is billowing from the collapsed structure and bright flames are shooting from front and roof of the building.
4:06 p.m. – Here is a small collection of photos from around the Twitter-verse:
Incredible pic of 7 alarm fire in East Village, NYC — via @NYDailyNews – 2nd nearby building collapsed pic.twitter.com/vOSPDL6GfZ
— Blair Miller (@BlairWSOC9) March 26, 2015
#BREAKING: Explosion rocked NYC’s East Village in a possible building collapse (Photo credit: http://t.co/Dxc24A870G) pic.twitter.com/cplBDlAi1s
— HLN (@HLNTV) March 26, 2015
DEVELOPING: Explosion collapses building in NYC’s East Village; multiple injuries reported http://t.co/xbhFCMpBYE pic.twitter.com/pMdljbGxEw
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 26, 2015
RT @JBalanka: thoughts & prayers with those involved and responding to East Village fire. #FDNY #EastVillage pic.twitter.com/uYixdOSCA0
— NYC EMS Website (@NYCEMSwebsite) March 26, 2015
Whoa!! “CBSNewYork: #BREAKING… Explosion, collapse reported at 7th Street & Second Avenue in East Village. pic.twitter.com/JqYkp59CEM”
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) March 26, 2015
3:57 p.m. – Fire photographer Dave Stewart reported on Twitter that the Manhattan East Village building collapse was quickly escalated from a four-alarm up to five, then six, and now seven alarms. Heavy fire is being reported in two five-store structures at the scene. WABC reported seeing at least one person being removed from the scene on a stretcher. The FDNY has shut down streets in the area. At least 30 units and more than 130 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. 3:51 p.m. – The NYFD is now reporting that all firefighters are accounted for. The two who had been reported missing have been located, and all firefighters are safe. However there are reports that multiple civilians may be missing. The number of people reported to be trapped has now been cut to 30. Some reports suggested a gas leak was to blame for the explosion at the building, but that has not been confirmed. CBS is reporting that records from the Department of Building in Manhattan show there was a stop-work order on the collapsed building. Previously: A large building in Manhattan has reportedly collapsed, causing several injuries. CBS New York and other local media are reporting that there was some kind of explosion shortly before the building collapsed.
The building is located at 7th and 2nd in Manhattan. Twitter posts suggest that as many as 40 people may be trapped in the collapsed building. Multiple injuries have been reported. The building that collapsed is a commercial and residential structure. According to CBS New York, at least two buildings at the scene were on fire. The fire department escalated the incident to a four-alarm event.
NY Scanner (via Twitter) reported that emergency workers requested that K9 units respond to the scene in Manhattan. The Twitter account also reports that the New York Fire Department is calling out a mayday for a firefighter down. It also states that the fire department has pulled back all firefighters from the building. Two firefighters are said to be unaccounted for, according to the NY Scanner Twitter account.
