NEW YORK (AP) – After two bodies were pulled from the rubble of a Manhattan apartment building collapse, authorities shifted their focus to what caused the massive explosion and fire and the possibility that someone may have improperly tapped a gas line serving one of the buildings.
“There’s reason to believe so far that there may have been inappropriate tampering with the gas lines within the building, but until we get full evidence we can’t conclude that,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said crews should reach the cellar level where the explosion took place by Monday.
“When we reach the level of the gas piping, the way the debris is removed will change so that those who will investigate the mechanics of what happened will have access to that without it being torn apart,” Nigro said.
The names of the two men found Sunday were not immediately released. Authorities believe they are the two men reported missing after Thursday’s explosion and fire that leveled three buildings and injured 22 people, including four critically. They were identified as Moises Lucon, 26, who worked inside a ground floor sushi restaurant, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23, a bowling alley worker who had been there on a date.