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Explosion kills two, injures 22 in New York City

354380_us explosion

At least two people have been killed and 22 others have been injured after a huge explosion collapsed two buildings in New York City, according to authorities.

The New York City fire department said on Wednesday that it has received a report of a blast and building collapse in Manhattan’s East Harlem.

Local residents said they heard a large explosion in an apartment building around 9 a.m. local time Wednesday.

The explosion inside a five-story building on Park Ave. at E. 116th St. sent people flying out the window, the Fire Department said.

“For weeks we’ve been smelling gas,” said Ashley Rivera. “We saw people flying out of the window… Those are my neighbors.”

A law enforcement source told the New York Daily News the cause appeared to be a gas explosion.

The New York Police Department’s bomb squad was called to the scene.

Officials have reportedly said they do not suspect the incident to be an act of terrorism.

“This is a tragedy of the worst kind, because there was no indication in time to save people,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters at the scene.

He added that the report of the gas leak, which he said came about 15 minutes before the explosion, was “the only indication of danger.”

The mayor also noted that several people were still unaccounted for.

“We are expending every effort to locate each and every loved one,” said de Blasio. “We don’t want to speculate who might be in the building and their situation until we have the ability to get closer.”

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