Investigators are working to determine if a gas explosion was the cause of a house collapse in Syracuse, New York, that hospitalized 13 people, mostly children.
At around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the Syracuse Fire Department received multiple 911 calls reporting an explosion at a two-story house at 205 Carbon Street.
When the rescue workers arrived, most of the victims were found in the front yard of the collapsed home, but at least one victim had to be pulled out of a car buried in the rubble.
Syracuse Fire Chief Michael Monds said police and fire officials would investigate what caused the collapse of the home.
“The building was indeed collapsed,” he said. “It was a very dangerous scene. There were power lines down and the dangerous odor of gas.”
Family Home
Mayor Ben Walsh told reporters that a family of seven lived in the house, which is listed as a single-family property. A family of six, which is registered at a separate address also in Syracuse, was visiting when the explosion happened. The house did not have any open code violations and investigators were interviewing the landlord.
The home will be demolished once the investigation is completed, the mayor said.
The gas line to the rental property was cut off by National Grid, the Fire Department said.
Search and Rescue Crews
The fire department dispatched more than 50 personnel to allow them to be rotated in and out as they pulled out the victims and secured the area in the Syracuse heat.
Search and rescue crews spent hours at the scene, making sure no one else was trapped underneath the rubble.
Fire District Chief Matt Craner told reporters that there were two families inside the house when the explosion occurred—four adults and nine children ranging in age from three months to 42 years.
Thirteen victims were taken to hospital, and at least 11 required further treatment.
The three youngest victims, a 9-month-old, a 2-year-old, and a 3-year-old, were hurt the most and were in a critically stable condition, Mr. Craner said.
“They’re still in very rough shape, but we’re not moving in a worse direction,” he added.
Kim Wallenstein, Pediatric Trauma Medical Director at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, confirmed that the children were in stable condition and doing well. Injuries included second and third-degree burns, fractures, and head injuries.
Because the explosion happened during the daytime, the hospital was fully staffed and able to optimally help with the situation—not just the medical team but also the adjunct staff who help children manage their anxiety during the situation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.