what to know
Police said Monday that 31 people, including three children, were displaced as a result of the blast, the cause of which has yet to be determined. In a statement Monday, PSE&G said they responded to the blast to shut off utilities and had crews in the area Saturday doing unrelated work. The Housing director previously said that he had not received reports of the smell of gas for a long period of time, although neighbors told our sister network NBC New York that they smelled gas long before the explosion.
NEW JERSEY — New video shows the moment a Newark apartment building suddenly exploded, sending debris into the air while half a dozen people were injured and more left homeless.
The explosion occurred around 6 p.m. Friday at a building on South Pine Lane, turning two apartment buildings run by the Newark Housing Authority into a heap of rubble.
Police and firefighters rushed to the scene and helped six people who were injured, five of whom were hospitalized, according to authorities. One woman among the injured sustained serious injuries as a result of the burns.
Police said Monday that 31 people, including three children, were displaced as a result of the blast, the cause of which has yet to be determined. The Housing director previously said that he had not received reports of the smell of gas for a long period of time, although neighbors told NBC New York on Monday that they smelled gas long before the explosion.
In a statement Monday, PSE&G said they responded to the blast to shut off utilities and had crews in the area Saturday doing unrelated work. They referred the comments to the city of Newark, which said an investigation is still ongoing.
“All of a sudden, I heard a bang,” said Jonathan Bohler, who lives next door to the building that exploded. “When I opened the door, I saw the foundation literally collapse and fall.”
Bohler’s unit is still standing, but a photo of the interior of his home shows the extensive damage, as a wall is now missing. His family has been staying at a hotel since Friday and has not yet been allowed to return home.
“I lost everything, because because of the structural damage, we can’t go in and get anything out,” Vanessa Bohler said, adding that the blast was so strong that her daughter was literally thrown. “She was standing on the sidewalk, the blast was so strong it literally lifted her up and threw her across the street.”
At this point, the family demands answers, but has yet to see any. “I hope that at least by Tuesday (or) Wednesday we will have more concrete answers than just ‘it’s under investigation.’ I need more than that,” said Vanessa Bohler.
Alfredo Acosta updates us from New Jersey.
2023-07-25 01:23:26
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