MOSCOW: Fifteen people were injured when a gas line ruptured and started a fire at a building in the village of Wappingers Falls in the state of New York, reported Sputnik quoting an ABC News report on Friday, citing authorities.
The incident was reported around 12:15 pm (16:15 GMT) on Thursday and was caused by an excavator damaging the pipeline during routine works, the broadcaster said, citing fire officials.
Ten civilians, including eight adults and two children, as well as four police officers and one firefighter, were injured, the report said. Most of the victims are in critical condition, Wappingers Falls Police Commissioner Paul Italiano was cited as saying by ABC News. Two adults and one child were reportedly airlifted to a hospital, while the other victims were hospitalised by ambulance.
The building collapsed after the fire and will be knocked down “for safety purposes,“ Italiano said. -Bernama
