A New York City building has collapsed and another is on fire after an apparent explosion in Manhattan’s East Village.
Emergency services are on the scene and say four people are critically injured, and 12 others were injured.
Flames and smoke pouring out of a five-floor building, and firefighters are spraying the building.
Officials are investigating whether a gas leak is to blame. There were reports of an explosion before the fire.
About 250 fire-fighters are on hand to battle the blaze.
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Emergency services started received calls reporting the fire around 15:15 local time.
According to the New York Times, an explosion triggered the fire in one building, which quickly spread to another.
The area in Manhattan’s East Village – close to New York University – is being evacuated.
Firefighters began spraying the flames, but had to retreat after the flames became too intense, the local station reported, local news station WABC reported.
The station said that there are fears that the other building could collapse as well, and it’s not clear if anyone has been trapped in the building or rubble.
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NYPD has found part of the landing gear of what is believed to be one of jets flown into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
The 5-foot piece of metal, including a clearly visible Boeing identification number, was found wedged between two New York City buildings, police said.
The metallic piece was found on Wednesday by surveyors inspecting a lower Manhattan building.
Nearly 3,000 people died in the 9/11 terror attacks as planes were brought down in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.
NYPD has found part of the landing gear of what is believed to be one of jets flown into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001
Five suspected al-Qaeda militants are awaiting trial for the attacks at a military tribunal at the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
NYPD has secured the area behind 51 Park Place and 50 Murray Street as a crime scene.
The location is at the site where a mosque and community centre has been proposed, three streets away from “Ground Zero” – the site of the twin towers.
Police have taken photographs and are keeping it off-limits until a health assessment has been made by the medical examiner’s office.
After that, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said “a decision will be made concerning sifting the soil for possible human remains”.
NYPD said the landing gear was found after surveyors hired by the property owner inspecting the rear of 51 Park Place called police on Wednesday.
Analysts suggest a full exploration of the site may require some demolition work on the two buildings.
At 08:46 on September 11, 2001, American Airlines flight 11 hit the World Trade Center’s north tower. Seventeen minutes later, United Flight 175 hit the south tower.
Although rubble from the attack was cleared in 2002, other debris has been found scattered across the local areas in the years since.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is accused of masterminding the attacks while the other four men being held at Guantanamo Bay are implicated for providing support for the coordinated hijacking.
They are charged with conspiring with al-Qaeda, terrorism, and one count of murder for each known victim of the 9/11 attacks at the time the charges were filed – 2,976 in total.
The five face a possible death penalty sentence if convicted.
