Harlem building collapse in NYC

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Breaking news.

 

A morning event in NYC.  Follow your news feeds.

 

EDIT: Follow up.

 

2 Dead, 18 injured, several missing in apparent gas explosion.  Five alarm fire in progress.

  Edited March 12, 2014 by A Nonny Moose  

[Duke87 1,070]

This was talked about a bit at work today. The fact that the explosion happened right next to the Park Avenue viaduct was rather unfortunate since it meant that all Metro-North rail service into Manhattan had to be suspended, requiring everyone who lives in Westchester and Connecticut to find another way home.

 

 

Meanwhile, the fact that none of the videos about this on YouTube lead to rickrolls has restored a bit of my faith in humanity. I'm glad that isn't a thing anymore.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Follow up.

 

@Duke87: what's a rickroll?

[Duke87 1,070]

what's a rickroll?

 

Tricking someone into unwittingly watching the music video for "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Previously whenever things like this happened it would be guaranteed there would be some videos on Youtube claiming to be of the event people are looking for video of, but when you clicked through the video turned out to actually be Rick Astley.

 

It was huge a few years ago, I'm surprised you're not familiar with it.

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

This was truly a tragedy. At the time of the explosion many people nearby must have been terrified because ... well, you know. But anyway it was a tragedy, but considering it was the collapse of two buildings perhaps there were more victims, but thankfully no.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

 

what's a rickroll?

 

Tricking someone into unwittingly watching the music video for "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Previously whenever things like this happened it would be guaranteed there would be some videos on Youtube claiming to be of the event people are looking for video of, but when you clicked through the video turned out to actually be Rick Astley.

 

It was huge a few years ago, I'm surprised you're not familiar with it.

 

guess who doesn't use U-tube?

[jmsepe 2,039]

Not to destroy your day but I just want to make sure that this was not done for insurance reasons. Well, you know how the big world works. It is always easy to cover up something for something. 

 

And yes, condolence to those who died and may those affected recover as soon as possible. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I don't think arson has been suspected (as yet).

[Duke87 1,070]

Torching a building for the insurance money is something that happened a lot in NYC in the 70s and 80s when it often got to the point where the cost of maintaining the property exceeded the potential income from it. But in the past 20 years demand has rebounded and rents have gone up, so the motive to do that is generally no longer there.

 

Besides, insurance fraud you'd think would just involve fire. It's kind of hard to stage an explosion as an "accident", and why would you go through the bother?