Corner of 20-Story Public Housing Building Falls, No Immediate Injuries Reported
A portion of a 20-story public housing apartment building in the Bronx partially collapsed Wednesday morning following a reported gas explosion, leaving a corner of the structure a pile of rubble.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) confirmed it was responding to the emergency at the Mitchel Houses building after receiving reports of a gas explosion that caused the collapse of an incinerator shaft. The incident occurred around 8:10 a.m., sending a large cloud of dust billowing over the block, as captured in videos shared by nearby residents.
Miraculously, the FDNY said there were no immediate reports of injuries. City police, who received 911 calls just after 8 a.m., confirmed that upon arrival, officers “observed a partial building collapse” extending from the ground floor all the way to the roof.
Mayor Eric Adams was briefed on the emergency and took to X to urge the public, “Please avoid the area for your safety,” as officials worked to get a full assessment of the scene.
The building is owned by the city’s Housing Authority, which has not yet commented on the incident.
While incinerator shafts were once standard for disposing of trash in New York City high-rises, they have largely been replaced by trash compactors that often utilize the same chutes. The exact cause of the explosion and the precise failure point of the aging structure remain under investigation. Emergency responders are continuing to search the site and secure the scene.
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