A blast that detonated inside what the Daily News described as a “problem-plagued building” in New York’s Chinatown injured a dozen people, including two in critical condition and another two in serious condition.
Sources told the newspaper the explosion happened at the rear of the building where a beauty salon had stored boxes of Raid fumigating foggers and Decon roach bombs.
Investigators also want to know if a gas leak was involved.
“We did have existing codes violations for this building. We’re looking into them,” FDNY Assistant Chief Robert Boyce said.
“[We] ran right outside,” said 40-year-old Xia Jing Mei. “I got out and there were these huge flames behind me.”
You can read more about the history of problems in this building in the Daily News and see video of the explosion’s aftermath on WABC.