An explosion caused a partial building collapse in Chinatown downtown Manhattan that sent eight people and four firefighters to the hospital on Thursday afternoon, CBS Local news reported. The incident took place at 17 Pike St. The neighborhood was blocked off for hours following what appeared to be a gas explosion, local New York media said.
Of the injuries, three were listed in critical condition, having suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, EMS told the local WCBS radio affiliate. The firefighters' injuries had been listed as minor. The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, but later investigators attributed it to improper use of bug bombs. The blast happened in a beauty salon in the rear of the building, local radio 1010 WINS reported.
Investigators were also looking into a possible gas leak.
"We had a fire and an explosion on the first floor. We had minimum collapse but heavy fire on the first floor with extension to the second and third floor," Fire Chief Robert Boyce said.
The American Red Cross said it provided emergency housing for 28 adults and three children left homeless after a vacate order was issued for the building, Yahoo News reported.
"I'm feel really bad about what happened to those people, but I'm just a little worried where am I going to stay," Misty Lee, a woman lives on the fifth floor of the building said.
The fire was brought under control shortly after 1:30 p.m on Thursday afternoon.
