UPDATE: Gas has been ruled out as the cause of an explosion that led to a four-alarm fire on October 3rd.
The fire started at about 1:00 p.m. at 4206 13th Avenue, a multiple-dwelling, three-story building. The second and third floors of the destroyed building were residential; the ground floor was commercial space.
As of October 7th, fire investigators are looking into the possibility that the second floor resident, Francesca Figueroa, used fuel or an accelerant (a substance or mixture that makes a fire spread faster), such as chemicals from her hair salon, to commit suicide.
They had already determined that gas could not have caused the explosion: Ms. Figueroa was behind on her gas bill, and the apartment that the explosion occurred in had not been fed natural gas since June.
Ligia Puello, who lived on the third floor, was found dead in the stairwell on the day of the explosion. She died of smoke inhalation and flash burns. Her daughter was visiting her son in the Dominican Republic at the time.
Ms. Figueroa was found dead in the rubble on Monday, October 5th. She had been the owner of Franchezka Unisex Salon on 5th Avenue in Park Slope for the past twenty years. Ms. Figueroa's sister had said previously that Ms. Figueroa was cleaning out the apartment at the time of the explosion.
Thirteen people were injured, including ten firefighters and three people who were walking in front of the building when it exploded. The entire front of the building was blown out by the force of the explosion.
Five buildings were damaged. One of them, 4204 13th Avenue, is being torn down. Fifty neighborhood residents have been displaced. They are mostly staying with family and friends; some are using vouchers from the American Red Cross to stay in hotels.
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Emergency personnel are on the scene of a two-alarm fire at 13th Avenue and 42nd Street in Brooklyn. Expect smoke, traffic delays, and the presence of emergency personnel and vehicles in the area.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene advises people to avoid smoke exposure from structural fires by keeping windows closed while indoors and reducing outdoor activity where smoke is present.
People who have heart conditions or breathing conditions, such as asthma, may be more sensitive and should seek immediate medical attention if they experience a worsening of their condition, shortness of breath, or chest pains.
--Notification issued by Notify NYC