Bodies found at site of collapsed New York buildings

March 30, 2015 | 08:56

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New York police recovered two bodies on Sunday from the rubble of a Manhattan building destroyed by a suspected gas explosion.

Emergency responders sort through the rubble of a building explosion that injured more than 20 and forced the collapse of three buildings in New York City. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images/AFP)

NEW YORK: New York police recovered two bodies on Sunday (Mar 29) from the rubble of a Manhattan building destroyed by a suspected gas explosion.

Two people had been reported missing from a sushi restaurant ravaged by Thursday's blast, which blew the front off a commercial and residential property on Second Avenue in East Village and led to a multi-building fire.

New York Police Department Sergeant Lee Jones told AFP that a body had "been recovered" around 1.00pm (1.00am Singapore time Monday), but did not identify the victim.

The body was turned over to the medical examiner for identification, a spokesman said, adding that it had been found in the rubble of the building at 121 Second Avenue.

A second body was recovered from the site shortly afterwards, police said, without providing further details. The two disappeared men were named as Nicholas Figueroa, 23, who had been on a date, and 26-year-old restaurant busboy Moises Lucon.

Police had previously said witness statements put both missing people in the sushi restaurant at the time of the explosion. A total of 22 people were injured in the blast and subsequent fire, including six uniformed personnel.

New York's fire commissioner said it would take a week to clear the debris created by the incident, which levelled three properties and badly damaged a fourth.

The buildings have been destroyed and search and recovery operations took place all weekend, while the area was closed to circulation. They are located in the bustling East Village neighborhood, home to many bars and restaurants.

A year ago, eight people were killed during a gas explosion that destroyed two apartment buildings in East Harlem.

AFP

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