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FDNY responding to reports of building collapse, explosion in NYC

The NYPD and FDNY are responding to reports of an explosion and building collapse in upper Manhattan.

The fire department confirmed in a tweet that the explosion involves multiple buildings and have escalated the response to four alarms.

According to ABC News, witnesses reported hearing a large explosion in the six-story apartment building on Park Avenue in East Harlem around 9:30 a.m local time.

“The whole building shook,” one nearby worker told the New York Post.

According to NBC's New York affiliate, at least four people were transported to local hospitals. Their conditions are unknown.

Metro North train service into and out of Grand Central Terminal was temporarily suspended as a result.

Photos posted to Twitter appear to show smoke and dust north of Central Park.


http://news.yahoo.com/nyc-building-collapse-140122865.html?vp=1

Heard it was a gas leak?  Thoughts go out to all involved.

thats what they said. guess they smelled gas, called it into con-ed...but they didn't get there in time.

that's was that last i heard.

This is what I'm talking about, Albany has finally addressed this issue after numerous explosions with flying manhole covers and flames shooting up, the whole area of upper Union Street is riddled with leaky old gas lines, I see National Grid returning to the same areas they already dug up and repaired again and again, the lines are shot. Every time work gets done where the ground gets dug up, there are gas leaks. Nobody is addressing this issue.
Remember how in the 1980's it was discovered that most of the fuel tanks from the 50's-60's needed replacing, and that they would need replacing at regular intervals? Well the gas lines last much longer, but they are all very old, and government has been ignoring the issue.
Schenectady has been worrying about cosmetic improvements to downtown, the governor is coming up with new revenue grabs, this is a life-and-death issue that will be very expensive to fix, you can bet the power companies aren't willingly going to part with any of their profits to maintain that infrastructure. I would very much like to see some leadership on this issue before anybody else dies.