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Bronx gas explosion: Officials confirm why high-rise building collapsed all of a sudden
A massive chunk of a Bronx public housing building collapsed on Wednesday morning. No one was injured, officials said.
A massive chunk of a Bronx public housing building collapsed on Wednesday morning. No one was injured, officials said. First responders, including firefighters, were at the Mitchel Houses building on Alexander Avenue near East 135th Street around 8:10 AM local time. They found that the incinerator shaft had collapsed inside the 20-story building, officials said.
Speaking about the cause of the collapse, officials said they were responding to a report of a gas explosion inside the building. “New Yorkers, I have been briefed about the emergency situation taking place in the Mott Haven area of the Bronx,” Mayor Eric Adams posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
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“We are getting a full assessment from first responders and will continue to provide updates. Please avoid the area for your safety," he added.
“An investigation is underway to determine the cause of this event and the extent of any damage beyond the reported exterior damage to the chimney,” the city's Housing authority said in a statement.
Scary videos from the scene surfaced on social media, showing one full corner of the high-rise collapsing. A cloud of dust billowed over the block moments after the collapse.
“Upon arrival, officers observed a partial building collapse,” the New York Police Department said in a statement.
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Incinerator shafts in New York City buildings were once used to dispose of trash, which was then burned on site. But they have largely been replaced with trash compactors, which can use the same chutes.
Around half a million New Yorkers live in aging buildings run by the largest housing authority in the nation, known as NYCHA. Tenants in the system's have complained for decades about rodents, mold and heat and hot water outages.
Many of the properties date back to the 1940s, ‘50s and ’60s. In 2019, a federal monitor was appointed to address chronic problems like lead paint, mold and lack of heat. When he wrapped his five-year term in 2024, the monitor, Bart Schwartz, noted that the overarching issue for residents remained the “poor physical state of NYCHA’s buildings.”
(With AP inputs)
