Twenty-nine people were injured, one seriously, in a powerful explosion that rocked Manhattan last night, city officials said as investigators probed a second potential device four blocks away from the initial blast. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said it is an intentional act but not related to terrorism. Police also were investigating a second suspicious site nearby early Sunday.
Advertisement
The explosion came just after 8:30 p.m. ET at 133 W. 23rd St., between Sixth and Seventh Avenue in a neighborhood known for its vibrant nightlife. The Fire Department of NY said 24 people were taken to hospitals.
Witnesses say many people were taken away in ambulances. He said it was too early to determine the cause but added: “We believe it was intentional”.
The object was a pressure cooker with dark colored wiring protruding, connected by silver duct tape to what appears to be a cellphone, officials said. None of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.
As a precaution, NY police department said it had increased security across some parts of the city.
De Blasio said investigators did not immediately see any connection.
Police and firefighters are at the scene of a possible explosion in New York City.
It has not been confirmed that the object is an explosive device.
“We felt it, we heard it, the restaurant went real quiet, the 26-year-old Gonzalez said. The president will be updated as additional information becomes available”, a White House official said.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she had been briefed “about the bombings in NY and New Jersey and the attack in Minnesota”.
That blast caused no casualties.
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, told a rally in Colorado Springs, that a “bomb” had exploded in NY, about 45 minutes after the explosion, before authorities had confirmed any details on the nature of the blast. One person suffered a serious injury that was described as a puncture wound, reported The Wall Street Journal.
Advertisement
“About the bombings in NY and New Jersey and the attacks in Minnesota”, she said, “we need to do everything we can to support our first responders – also to pray for the victims”.
