New York dumpster blast which injured 29 ‘intentional’ says mayor

AN “intentional” blast which injured 29 people in New York has “no tie to terrorism”, says mayor, as police investigate second device.

Emergency services on the scene of a reported dumpster blast which has injured up to 15 in New York. Source: Twitter

AN explosion which shook the Chelsea neighbourhood of Manhattan, prompting New York City police and fire department personnel to swarm and injuring 29 people has been described as “intentional”.

Investigations continueinto the blast in a garbage bin outside a 14-storey residence for the blind, which shattered the lower windows of the building. None of the injuries to the 29 are considered life threatening, but one is seriously injured.

New York mayor Bill de Blasio said authorities believe it was “an intentional act” but “at this moment we don’t see a link to terrorism”, as police investigated a secondary device just blocks from the scene.

Police block a road after the explosion. Picture: AFP/ William Edwards

SECOND DEVICE INVESTIGATED

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that a second device that officers were investigating four blocks from the scene appeared to be a pressure cooker attached to wiring and a cellphone. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorised to speak about an ongoing investigation, said the device was found inside a plastic bag on West 27th Street.

Police spokesman J. Peter Donald said several people were taken to hospitals with injuries. One of the injured suffered a puncture wound that was considered serious. Officials said the other injuries were minor, described as scrapes and bruises.

Donald tweeted a warning to residents near the second site that officials are investigating, saying: “As a precautionary measure, we are asking residents who live on West 27th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan to stay away from windows facing 27th Street until we clear the suspicious device.”

De Blasio said New Yorkers would not be intimidated and “are not going to let anyone change who we are or how we go about our lives”.

He said there was no credible terrorism threat to New York City at this point in time.

The FBI confirmed the second site was being secured just streets away from the original blast.

Authorities gave little detail about the original explosion, but would only rule out a gas explosion and confirm the event appeared to be intentional.

Moments after the blast on #23rd street #nyc #blast pic.twitter.com/lwbQvR5bDE

— Avidor.Law (@JonAvidor) September 18, 2016

Residents in Manhattan are getting alerts after suspicious package found.Be safe. #nyc #breaking @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/IZseSCk11U

— Mario Ramirez (@MarioFOXLA) September 18, 2016

“DEAFENING BOOM”

The explosion, described by one neighbour as “deafening”, happened outside the Associated Blind Housing facility at 135 W23rd St, according to the Post.

The facility provides housing, training and other services for the blind, nypost.com reports.

A witness said at least three people were seen being taken away from the apparent scene of the blast in ambulances.

Witness Jakir Aussin, who works at a nearby Dunkin Donuts, described the explosion as a “deafening boom”.

“It was a quiet night, and then I heard this deafening boom,” Aussin told the New York Post.

“My first thought was, ‘Oh god, a bomb,’ so I got down on the floor.

“I looked outside and it’s all broken glass, car alarms going off — I still don’t know what happened.”

Two buildings to the east of the facility were evacuated as emergency services and police shut down the immediate area. No fires were reported, but multiple emergency vehicles, including ambulances, rushed to the scene.

Emergency services flood the scene. Source: Twitter

Earlier, a small bomb exploded in a New Jersey beach town in New York City along the route of a planned road race on Saturday morning, causing no injuries but prompting authorities to cancel the event and evacuate dozens of homes as they searched for more devices.

Reports say one of three bundled pipe bombs placed in a trash can along a 5km race route to be run by Marines was detonated in Seaside Park, New Jersey.

There is no indication the two events are connected at this time. It’s reported the FBI are now investigating the New Jersey incident.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is currently in New York to address the UN, and has been receiving regular updates on an explosion in New York City during his visit to the Big Apple.

Major explosion right around the corner from my apartment in #NYC just happened.#safe #chelsea #explosion #rightnow pic.twitter.com/yr2Tfnqp4U

— Aiden Leslie (@aidenleslie) September 18, 2016