The relative quiet of a Saturday afternoon was torn apart by a massive building explosion in Brooklyn. The three-story structure on 13th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn, opened up just after 1 PM on October 3rd in a ball of flame and a cloud of deadly debris. Eyewitnesses report black smoke rolling out of the structure blotting out the sun and casting the street into a false night-like darkness. Over 200 firefighters rushed to the scene to battle the flames and search for survivors. Their efforts were hampered by the sheer devastation that shut down an entire city block.
When they were finally able to gain entry into the destroyed building, they found the body of one woman in a stairwell. It’s believed that she was one of only two people in the building at the time of the blast. In addition, 13 people were injured, many by flying shrapnel as they walked by. Most were taken to nearby hospitals and all are expected to survive.
Fire investigators initially suspected that the massive explosion was caused by the removal of a stove from the missing woman’s apartment. However, it now appears that is not the case. There are now multiple theories as to how the explosion started but until all of the evidence has been collected and analyzed FDNY investigators are remaining tight-lipped.
Regardless of the cause of this latest apartment fire, it is the third deadly building explosion in New York over the last 18 months. Illegal line taps, improper installation and removal of appliances, and outdated infrastructure have all contributed to natural gas explosions in the past. When building owners or their supers don’t hire licensed professionals to do this work, serious and deadly accidents can occur.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a building explosion in New York City, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for injuries and loss of personal property. Contact an expert New York City building explosion attorney immediately. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.