Two women were hospitalized, one in critical condition, following a sudden and violent explosion at a Midtown Manhattan parking garage last night. The incident, which occurred around 9 p.m. on East 53rd Street, between Lexington and Third avenues, is believed to have been caused by a generator malfunction inside the garage's diesel emergency generator, according to the FDNY.
A heavy steel vent cover was propelled across the street, due to what FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Abbamonte described as "some kind of back draft or back puff of a generator," reported ABC7NY. Both victims, confirmed to be 25 years old by NYPD officials, were taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center; the first with minor injuries, the second is in serious but stable condition,
The force of the explosion sent pieces of metal debris hurtling into the street, endangering pedestrians. A witness, recounting the harrowing event to ABC7NY, stated it happened so quickly people did not have a chance to react or move to safety.
First responders had the situation under control by approximately 9:30 p.m., and while officials have stated there is currently no suspicion of criminality, fire marshals continue to investigate. They are looking into whether, the diesel generator was being operated properly at the time of the malfunction, as confirmed by Gothamist. FDNY officials believe the accident likely occurred when a back pull on the generator ignited the soot in the chimney or vent pipe, resulting in the explosion.
