Design and Construction Report staff writer
An explosion at a Bronx apartment building Wednesday morning blew off a massive chimney that ran up the side of the high-rise.
The blast, reported just after 8 a.m., sent a plume of dust across the block and left a pile of bricks on the sidewalk and a 20-story gash along one side of the building. Nobody was injured.
“We avoided a major disaster here,” Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said at a news conference.
Apartments were evacuated as a precaution while inspectors assessed the damage. City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said inspectors are checking the building’s foundations and apartments to ensure they are safe. The city opened a reception center for residents to access food and other necessities.
The building is one of New York City’s aging public housing supply, run by the New York City Housing Authority. It was built in 1966, and a 2023 city assessment estimated the Mitchel Housing complex would need about $726 million in repairs over the next 20 years, with heating systems cited as the most critical infrastructure need.
City officials said recovery efforts are now underway, with inspections and repairs prioritized to ensure residents’ safety.
