New video shows the moment an apartment building in Newark suddenly exploded, sending debris flying into the air as half a dozen people were hurt — and even more were left homeless.
The blast occurred around 6 p.m. Friday at a building on South Pine Lane, turning two apartment buildings run by the Newark Housing Authority into a pile of rubble. Police and fire responded to the scene, helping six people who were injured, five of whom were hospitalized, according to officials. A woman among those hurt suffered critical injuries as a result of the burns.
Police on Monday said that 31 people, including three children, were displaced as a result of the explosion, the cause of which has not yet been determined. The housing director previously said he had received no reports of there being a smell of gas for a long period of time, though neighbors on Monday told NBC New York that they smelled gas well before the blast.
In a statement on Monday, PSE&G said they did respond to the explosion to shut off utilities, and that they had crews in the area on Saturday doing unrelated work. They referred comments to the city of Newark, which said an investigation is still ongoing.
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"All of a sudden, I heard this boom," said Jonathan Bohler, who lives next door to the building that exploded. "When I opened the door, I saw the foundation literally crumble and come down."
Bohler's unit is still standing, but a photo from inside his home shows the extensive damage, with a wall now missing. His family has been staying at a hotel since Friday, not allowed to go back home yet.
"I lost everything, because due to the structural damage, we can’t go in and get anything out," said Vanessa Bohler, adding that the blast was so strong, her daughter was literally thrown. "She was standing on the curb, the blast was so strong it literally picked her up and threw her across the street."
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Right now, the family is demanding answers — but aren't seeing any yet.
"I expect at least by Tuesday (or) Wednesday we have more concrete answers than just 'It’s under investigation.' I need more than that," said Vanessa Bohler.
