2015 East Village gas explosion
A gas explosion took place on March 26, 2015, at 121 Second Avenue in Manhattan's East Village, New York City. The blast was caused by an unauthorized connection to a gas main. This incident led to two deaths and injured at least 19 individuals, four of whom were critically hurt. The explosion demolished three neighboring buildings located at 119, 121, and 123 Second Avenue, between East 7th Street and St. Mark's Place.
Background
In August 2014, a meter reader from Consolidated Edison, the utility company providing natural gas, electricity, and steam services across the New York metropolitan region, discovered an illegal gas line tap supplying the Sushi Park restaurant at 121 Second Avenue—the only authorized recipient of gas service in the building. Additional unauthorized taps were found supplying several apartments. Con Edison responded by shutting off the building’s gas supply for ten days until the unauthorized connections were removed and a plumber certified the repairs to the city’s building department. However, neither Con Edison nor the building department had a legal obligation to verify the plumber’s work.
A few days prior to the explosion, workers installed a new gas line serving the apartments. Con Edison inspected this installation roughly an hour before the blast but did not approve it due to reasons unrelated to safety; consequently, the new line remained locked and inactive.
The buildings affected along Second Avenue between East 7th and 8th Streets were part of the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District, designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2012. The Queen Anne-style structure at #121 was modified around 1886; #123, originally built circa 1834 in Greek Revival style, was redesigned in Neo-Grec style in 1913 by architect George F. Pelham; and #125, also designed by Pelham in Renaissance Revival style, was constructed in 1901. Each building was a five-story tenement: #121 and #123 were classified as old-law tenements while #125 was built under new-law regulations.
Explosion
On the day of the incident, Con Edison personnel inspected a newly installed gas pipe at 121 Second Avenue, which remained shut off during their visit around 2:45 p.m. Shortly afterward, the restaurant owner detected a strong gas odor and contacted the landlord; however, neither party reported it to Con Edison or called 9-1-1.
An explosion occurred when the contractor and landlord’s son opened the basement door, forcefully ejecting the restaurant’s facade across the street. Emergency services received their first calls at approximately 3:17 p.m. Mayor Bill de Blasio indicated that the explosion seemed connected to ongoing plumbing and gas work inside 121 Second Avenue. Authorities evacuated eleven buildings in total, and Con Edison cut off gas supply to the surrounding area. Some residents were allowed back into their homes several days later. Officials suspected that escaping natural gas caused the blast.
The explosion ignited a seven-alarm fire, mobilizing 250 firefighters; four of them sustained injuries.
Cause
Law enforcement officials revealed that one or more gas lines had been illegally tapped over several months using devices that siphoned gas through hoses. This siphoning apparatus was either removed or concealed prior to Con Edison’s inspection. After inspectors departed, attempts to resume siphoning resulted in a gas leak that ultimately caused the explosion.
Impact
By March 27, 2015, the buildings located at 119, 121, and 123 Second Avenue had been completely demolished. The neighboring structure at 125 Second Avenue sustained significant damage but remained standing.
A total of 144 apartment units across 11 buildings were evacuated, resulting in many residents losing their homes.
Four ground-floor dining establishments within the collapsed structures were destroyed: East Noodle (a ramen restaurant) at 119 Second Avenue; Sushi Park at 121; and Pommes Frites along with Sam's Deli at 123 Second Avenue. Additionally, a storefront at 125 Second Avenue suffered extensive damage. B&H Dairy at 127 Second Avenue was unaffected physically but temporarily ceased operations. Even a month following the incident, numerous local businesses were still struggling financially; six remained in ruins and several stayed closed more than a week after the explosion. Fundraising efforts to support those impacted were coordinated by the nonprofit organization Good Old Lower East Side.
Tragically, two individuals associated with Sushi Park lost their lives: employee Moises Ismael Locón Yac, aged 27, and patron Nicholas Figueroa, aged 23. Their remains were recovered three days after the event, on March 29.
Investigation
The investigation involved FDNY fire marshals, the NYPD’s Arson and Explosive Unit, the New York City Department of Investigation, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. Authorities concentrated on plumbing and gas-line activities at 121 Second Avenue to ascertain whether an unauthorized tap into a gas line intended for the first-floor restaurant had occurred. According to records from the New York City Department of Buildings, no permits had been issued for work after November 2014.
Two tenants subleasing an apartment at 129 Second Avenue—adjacent to the collapsed properties—intended to pursue legal action against the city seeking $20 million each in damages.
Indictments and arrests
On February 11, 2016, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. announced that five individuals connected to the explosion had been indicted and arrested. Those charged included building owner Maria Hrynenko, her son Michael Hrynenko, an unlicensed plumber, a licensed plumber who allowed others to operate under his credentials, and contractor Dilber Kukic. The charges encompassed manslaughter and negligent homicide. The indictments described an illicit scheme involving tapping into a lawful gas line supplying the restaurant to redirect gas to renovated apartments above. The defense attorney representing the building owner attributed fault to Con Edison for failing to close off the main gas valve.
On November 14, 2019, Maria Hrynenko, Athanasios "Jerry" Ioannidis, and Dilber Kukic were convicted of manslaughter along with related offenses. Michael Hrynenko passed away while awaiting trial. In January 2019, plumber Andrew Trombettas pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
Site redevelopment
A new building designed by Morris Adjmi Architects has been constructed on part of the explosion site. Among the three impacted structures, only one is currently undergoing redevelopment.
See also
External links
- "Videos Show Fire in East Village". The New York Times. March 26, 2015
- Larson, Sarah (March 27, 2015). "The East Village Fire: Love Saves the Day". The New Yorker.