Explosion rocks Chelsea Saturday night. “I want to assure all New Yorkers that the NYPD and all other agencies are at full alert”.
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But he was quick to note that “there was no evidence at this point of a terror connection”. The trash container was blown clear into the street by the force of the blast.
Sources told NBC New York that investigators at the second location were examining what appeared to be a pressure cooker left out on the sidewalk on 27th Street.
29 people have been injured in the blast.
Law enforcement officials are on the hunt for whoever is responsible for last night’s explosion in Chelsea. Photos on social media show a bomb squad on the scene.
Witnesses say many people were taken away in ambulances.
“As of this time, the exact cause of this explosion has not been determined”, Commissioner O’Neill said.
Numerous emergency vehicles are in the area, which is a major thoroughfare with many restaurants.
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.
Chris Gonzalez, visiting from Dallas, was having dinner with friends at a Chelsea restaurant. “Everyone just went quiet”.
Rudy Alcide, a bouncer at Vanity Nightclub at 21st Street and 6th Avenue, said he, at first, thought something large had fallen.
“It was the loudest thing I ever heard”, Duffy said. “It was extremely loud, nearly like thunder, but louder”. “I want New Yorkers to be confident when they go back to work on Monday that NY is up and running and we’re doing everything that we need to do”, said Cuomo.
The FDNY, the NYPD Counterterrorism Unit, FBI, and Homeland Security are investigating the explosion. “The president will be updated as additional information becomes available”, a White House official said.
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Preliminary reports on Twitter claim that it was IED explosion with “at least 14 minor injuries”. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have both made statements about the explosion, with Clinton speaking to the press from her campaign plane.
