Officials announced on Thursday, October 8 that natural gas has been ruled out as the cause of an explosion that left two dead, one missing, 13 injured and 49 displaced in Borough Park.
“The investigation into the cause preliminarily focused on the possibility of natural gas being involved due to information from the building landlord that the occupant of the second floor apartment – which is where the explosion/fire originated – had been removing a stove while in the course of vacating the apartment,” said FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro in a statement. “Information obtained since then, and confirmed by examination of the building gas meters, found that there was no natural gas flowing to the second floor apartment since June 26 – and that prior to the explosion no significant natural gas flow into any part of the building had occurred.”
The blowout, which occurred just past 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 3 at 42nd Street and 13th Avenue, culminated with a partial building collapse that left a total of 18 units – 12 residential and six commercial – to be evacuated.
A cause has yet to be determined and the investigation is ongoing.
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