Posted on 08/25/2007 8:29:20 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(CBS) NEW YORK -- Several people were injured Saturday night in an apartment explosion in upper Manhattan.
Police officers are standing guard in front of 557 West 148th St. in Hamilton Heights after neighbors reported hearing an explosion inside a 2nd floor apartment at about 4:45 this afternoon.
“The smoke was so thick that the soot was running throughout the apartment and as the fire billowed from the apartment it just consumed all the hallways and the whole entire building was black,” said Imo Fox.
Edgar Valez and his stepson Alex say they were painting in their own apartment one floor above at the time.
“So when I'm walking down the steps I see a whole bunch of smoke,” said Edgar Valez. “I mean rapidly black black black pitch smoke.”
Neighbors say the building superintendent, his daughter, and another unidentified person were all inside that apartment - painting - before the fire started.
“The last thing he said he would do was the stove,” said Alex Valez. “So I guess the stove was the one that caught on fire.”
“They were very severely hurt. And their burns on their face and and arms…the father had no hair,” said Edgar Valez. “His face was all black. They were very in shock. Because when I asked the girl - she remembered me - she just looked at me...I said baby it's okay we love you.”
All three were brought to Harlem Hospital suffering 2nd degree burns.
I wonder why this was moved to chat?
Ping.
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