President Barack Obama was briefed on the collapse and sent his condolences to the victims’ families and his support to first responders at the scene.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone impacted by this incident,” the White House said in a statement.
Crowds of residents, their faces covered with protective scarves and masks, filled the sidewalks of surrounding streets, which were blocked off with yellow police tape.
“It’s a very active scene. It’s a very chaotic scene,” said Fire Department spokesman Michael Parrella.
Fire trucks used high cranes to spray blasts of water into the rubble, as dozens of ambulances and police cruisers with flashing lights swarmed the scene.
During the morning commute, trains were held at nearby stations because of debris on the tracks and passengers were ordered off the Metro-North Railroad cars at the Fordham stop in the Bronx, passengers said.
For a graphic on the explosion, please click on link.reuters.com/mys57v
(Additional reporting by Anna Hiatt; Writing by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Gunna Dickson)
Article Appeared @http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/us-usa-newyork-collapse-idUSBREA2B11D20140312