In the midst of the severe winter storm “Winter Storm Fern” and a sudden drop in temperature, a violent gas explosion followed by a fire broke out in a 17-story public housing building in the Bronx, New York City on Saturday (January 24th). According to official figures, the incident has resulted in one fatality and 14 injuries.
The explosion occurred around 12:10 AM on Saturday at the “Boston Secor Houses,” managed by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), located at 3485 Bivona Street in the Bronx.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) confirmed that the accident resulted in one fatality and 14 injuries, with one person in critical condition, five with serious injuries, and the rest sustaining minor injuries, including a firefighter injured while extinguishing the fire in low temperatures.
John Esposito, the Chief of the FDNY uniformed force and Fire Commissioner, stated to the Associated Press that prior to the explosion, firefighters had received reports of a gas odor on the 15th and 16th floors while investigating. The sudden blast caused significant structural damage to about 12 apartments, with the fire spreading to 10 apartments on the 16th and 17th floors.
Esposito described the explosion as powerful, shattering windows on multiple floors, with trapped individuals seen leaning out of windows calling for help.
Newly appointed New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, arrived at the scene early in the morning and later visited a nearby reception center set up for affected residents to offer comfort. He described it as a “heartbreaking tragedy” and emphasized that the city administration’s priority is to ensure that approximately 175 residents who were evacuated can access warm temporary housing and essential supplies.
Lillian Bonsignore, the FDNY’s administrative head and Fire Commissioner, stated at a morning press conference that over 200 firefighters had completed a heroic battle in temperatures around -15°C.
“This was a very challenging night, with extreme cold causing fire hydrants and equipment to ice over, increasing the difficulty of the rescue operation,” she said.
Officials disclosed that the building had recently undergone natural gas system repairs and passed inspections. Mamdani pledged to investigate whether the explosion was related to the engineering work.
About 500,000 New Yorkers reside in aging buildings managed by NYCHA. Federal monitor Bart Schwartz has repeatedly pointed out their “poor physical condition”. In October of last year, another NYCHA building in the Bronx experienced a gas boiler explosion, causing a chimney to collapse.
Currently, more than 150 affected households are facing long-term relocation issues. The American Red Cross has set up a 24-hour support point at a nearby school, offering emergency housing subsidies, supplies, and psychological counseling.
Preliminary investigations point to a natural gas leak as the cause of the explosion, but the ignition source is still being determined. With the winter storm “Winter Storm Fern” continuing to wreak havoc, the city administration has ordered increased inspections of heating and gas supply in old apartments citywide.