Leaky Gas Hose Blamed for Explosion
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A leaky kitchen gas hose was blamed yesterday for an apartment building explosion that threw residents against walls, blew out their windows, and hurled debris into the streets.
“The source of the explosion was natural gas, which fire marshals believe leaked from a flexible hose connection behind a stove in a first-floor rear apartment,” a spokesman from the Fire Department of New York, Tony Sclafani, said.
Saturday’s blast sent more than 20 people, including four badly-burned girls, to hospitals.
The girls, Duca Alghaithi, 5, Tuca Alghaithi, 4, Lina Alghaithi, 3, and Afas Alghaithi, 1, and their mother were in critical condition, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center spokesman John Rogers said.
The Harlem building was shored up, but a vacate order would be in effect until it was deemed safe for occupancy, a Department of Buildings spokeswoman said.
