New York City’s Manhattan was engulfed in black smoke following a “major explosion” in the region on Friday, local time, as per reports.
Videos of the incident which captured the devastation, flooded social media — streets shrouded in haze, sirens wailing in the distance. Within minutes of the news of the explosion, nearly 100 firefighters and emergency crews swarmed the scene, battling fierce flames still clawing at the building, reported The Mirror US.
Manhattan’s iconic skyline, usually a glittering tapestry of skyscrapers, was marred by thick plumes of smoke from the blast on Friday.
New York blast
On Friday, August 15, around 10am local time, a large fire occurred near 305 East 95th Street in Manhattan, which is not far from Central Park, reported The Mirror US.
Sirens tore through the skies as firefighters rushed to the spot.
What caused the fire?
The New York City Fire Department said that the cause of the fire is under investigation by Fire Marshals of the department.
Flames that began on the roof quickly spread into the cockloft and three penthouses on the building’s top floor. In response, around 40 units and a total of 170 FDNY members were deployed to battle the three-alarm fire, the fire department said.
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The New York City Fire Department confirmed they are on site battling the blaze. “FDNY members are currently operating at a 3-alarm fire at 305 East 95th Street in Manhattan,” the department posted on X.
One netizen captured the blaze, and posted it on X, along with the caption: “Something just exploded on e95th street and then this the black smoke. Looks like it’s getting worse but might be the wind.”