NYC Building Collapses After Blast, Fire

[Gold9472]

NYC Building Collapses After Blast, Fire

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/10/D8IP5QH80.html

By ADAM GOLDMAN
Associated Press Writer
7/10/2006

A three-story building housing a doctor's office just off Madison Avenue collapsed and burned Monday after what witnesses said was a thunderous explosion that rocked the neighborhood.

The cause was not immediately known, though White House press secretary Tony Snow said there was no indication of terrorism.

At least two people were under evaluation at a hospital after the collapse. It wasn't immediately clear if anyone was still trapped inside the building, on 62nd street between Madison and Park Avenues on Manhattan's East Side.

Heavy black smoke rose high above the building, wedged between taller structures on 62nd Street between Park and Madison Avenues just a few blocks from Central Park. Damage, including shattered windows, could be seen at one of the adjoining buildings.

Yaakov Kermaier, 36, a resident in a building next door, said he was outside when he heard "a deafening boom. I saw the whole building explode in front of me."

"Everybody started running, nobody knew what was coming next," he said. His nanny and newborn escaped from their next-door apartment unharmed.

Thad Milonas, 57, was operating a coffee cart across from the building when he said the ground shook and the building came down, said he helped two bleeding women from the scene.

Streets around the area were closed off to traffic as ambulances and rescue units raced to the area just before 9 a.m.

TV host Larry King, who had been in a hotel room nearby, described the explosion to CNN as sounding like a bomb and feeling like an earthquake.

"I've never heard a sound like that," King said.

[Gold9472]

Building collapses in New York City

http://today.reuters.com/investing/f...-2-PICTURE.XML

Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:59am ET

NEW YORK, July 10 (Reuters) - A three-story building collapsed in Manhattan on Monday morning after what may have been an explosion, resulting in injuries, officials and witnesses said.

The White House in Washington said the collapse was not related to an act of terrorism, but some witnesses said they did not believe the blast was a gas explosion.

"I saw the building collapse and there was a very big explosion," witness Theodore Milonas. "I believe -- I'm no expert -- that it was not a gas explosion."

Milonas reported seeing four injured people. Local media said at least two had been taken to hospital.

"It appears to be an explosion, but it's not confirmed," a Fire Department spokeswoman said.

At the White House in Washington, spokesman Tony Snow told reporters the incident did not appear to be terror-related. "As far as we know at this point, no terrorism nexus," he said.

Smoke billowed out of the building as firefighters inspected the damage from tower ladders, scrambled to remove debris and doused the flames with water.

"I saw a lot of smoke, people scurrying everywhere," CNN talk show host Larry King, who happened to be on the scene, told reporters. "There was one huge boom. ... It sounded like a bombing would sound, like the bombing of London in World War Two."

Local media said the apartment building on 62nd Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan housed a beauty salon and some doctors offices.

[Gold9472]

Building collapses in New York City

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13801112/

7/10/2006

NEW YORK - A four-story building in midtown Manhattan collapsed and burned Monday morning after what witnesses said was a thunderous explosion that rocked the neighborhood.

Firefighters dug one person, a doctor who owned the building, from the rubble about an hour after the blast, and two other people and a firefighter were taken to hospitals, Fire Department spokesman Jim Long said.

Fire officials suspected a natural gas leak caused the explosion and fire. Shortly before the blast, a utility crew had been in the building next door responding to a report of a natural gas smell.

The fire department described the collapse as a "major incident," declaring it a four-alarm fire and sending 170 firefighters to the scene.

Lt. Eugene Whyte said the building included two doctor's offices.

‘Everybody started running’
At least two people were under evaluation at a hospital after the collapse. It wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was still trapped inside the building, on 62nd street between Madison and Park avenues on Manhattan’s East Side.

Smoke rose high above the building, wedged between taller structures on 62nd Street between Park and Madison Avenues just a few blocks from Central Park. Damage, including shattered windows, could be seen at one of the adjoining buildings.

Yaakov Kermaier, a resident in a building next door, said he was outside when he heard “a deafening boom. I saw the whole building explode in front of me.”

“Everybody started running, nobody knew what was coming next,” he said. His nanny and newborn escaped from their next-door apartment unharmed.

Thad Milonas was operating a coffee cart across from the building when he said the ground shook and the building came down, said he helped two bleeding women from the scene.

Streets around the area were closed off to traffic as ambulances and rescue units raced to the area just before 8:40 a.m. ET.

[PhilosophyGenius]

I can see this story being posted on 9/11 Myth Debunking sites with the headline, "Your see, fires can collapse buildings!"

[AuGmENTor]

As long as there's an explosion to help it along... Plus, we no nothing about the building yet, weather it was steel structured or not... At four floors, it didn't HAVE to be...

[Chana3812]

It pancaked, no doubt