A survivor of a building explosion in New Jersey that left one person dead and 15 more injured describes the scene as nightmarish. Two of those people were rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
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Investigators from local utility company Elizabethtown Gas were busy inspecting the house. “I ran out of my house when I heard it. Elizabeth mayor Chris Bollwage said at a press conference that the explosion flattened the home “like a pancake” and also destroyed the homes on either side”.
Search dogs have been called in to make sure rescuers didn’t overlook any possible victims.
Triage units have been set up at the scene, where the explosion occurred just after 8 a.m. today. Duane Bourne, a company spokesman, told Reuters they hadn’t found any gas leaks, but the investigation was ongoing.
At one point, firefighters urged residents and news crews to clear the area, fearing a second explosion. The extent of their injuries is not immediately known. Others were taken to University Hospital in Newark and Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, the station reported.
Bollwage also said the city is bringing in a contractor who will begin “delayering” the home as part of the investigation.
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Officials have not yet identified a cause for the blast, but Mr Bollwage said authorities are looking at the possibility of a gas explosion. But there is no sign of fire.
