Last night, a school in the Bronx suffered an explosion which led to injuries and destruction. Three construction workers were seriously hurt in the explosion that was so powerful it shook neighbors’ homes and startled residents, who thought they were experiencing an earthquake. John F. Kennedy High School, located in the Marble Hill section of the Bronx, was the school that experienced the explosion. The injured construction workers suffered very serious burns and are being treated at local hospitals.
FDNY firefighters rushed to the school after getting the call at about 8 p.m last night. Construction crews were working on a gas line when the explosion occurred on the sixth floor of the building, according to police and Con Edison, but the utility says it’s determined that it was not a gas explosion. Authorities will be called in to uncover what actually led to the blast. FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said building engineers and other authorities will also be assessing the structural integrity of the building to determine if it’s safe to occupy. For now, it appears, that although the building has been seriously damaged, the structural damage is limited and did not impact the school in a structural way.

The workers had been privately contracted by the New York City Schools Construction Authority (SCA) as part of a project to build science labs on the sixth floor of the building. In the past, the SCA had frequently worked with the contractor, who is said by many to have had a great reputation in the industry and around the city.

Here in New York City, building explosions and collapses occur with no notice and can lead to devastating injuries and results. A prime example is the East Village building collapse of earlier this year when an illegal tap into a gas main caused the explosions, which unfortunately led to two deaths, and at least nineteen injuries, four of those critical. The resulting fire completely destroyed three adjacent buildings at 119, 121, and 123 2nd Avenue between East 7th Street and St. Marks Place.
Nobody can predict these horrible occurrences and an explosion can lead to injuries or worse suffered by people inside the building but also injuries to pedestrians, drivers in nearby cars, and those in adjoining or nearby buildings.
If you or a loved one has suffered from injuries obtained in a building explosion or collapse, call the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny today. The lawyers at our firm have over a century of experience dealing with these types of personal injury cases, as well as over $250 million in settlements and verdicts to prove our expertise and success when it comes to handling personal injury cases in the area. Our lawyers are here on your side to get you the best result possible.