The death toll in the massive explosion that razed two New York City buildings on Wednesday has mounted to seven, with well over 70 other people injured. Several other residents are still reported missing.
Bodies of four people were pulled out of the rubble overnight at the site in East Harlem where the two five-storied residential buildings were destroyed in the explosion suspected to be caused by a gas leak.
“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 said. His office said at least nine residents from the two collapsed buildings were reported missing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to the incident, but there is no indication of terror or crime, the city authorities have been quoted as saying.
On Thursday, rescue workers were still busy digging through the debris in their search for more victims who might be buried in the rubble.
NBC News reported that hospitals reported receiving 74 people injured, including one teen and one woman who were both critically hurt. Most of the injured, however, were expected to survive.
The two buildings, century-old, five-storey brick structures, had housed 15 apartments, a church and a piano store. The explosion also severely damaged a neighbouring four-story building.
Among the dead was Carmen Tanco, 67 and Griselde Camacho, a 44-year-old security guard at a local college in Manhattan. A law-enforcement official identified the third fatal victim as Rosaura Hernandez, 21, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Several children were among those injured. A day after the explosion, city officials said smoke was still rising from the rubble and a portion of one of the levelled buildings was on fire.
Authorities have said that preliminary evidence pointed to the explosion being triggered by the gas leak.