Sunday, March 29, 2015

Second Body Is Found at East Village Explosion Site, Police Say - New York Times




Police, fire and forensic teams at the site of Thursday's gas explosion on Seventh Street and Second Avenue in the East Village on Sunday. Christopher Gregory for The New York Times

Rescue workers have found a second body in the wreckage of the explosion and fire last week in the East Village, the police said on Sunday afternoon.


The news came hours after the first body was found in the debris of the blast, which occurred on Thursday, destroying three buildings and injuring 22 people.


Two men have been missing since the blast on Thursday afternoon. They are Nicholas Figueroa, 23, and Moises Ismael Locón Yac, 27.


On Sunday afternoon, the police said investigators had not determined the identity of the bodies that had been found.


The fire started in a first-floor restaurant, at 121 Second Avenue, on Thursday. Officials said the fire was most likely set off by a gas explosion.


Mr. Figueroa had been on a lunch date at the restaurant, Sushi Park; Mr. Yac was a busboy there.


News earlier that a body had been recovered jolted members of Mr. Figueroa’s family, who were gathered at the scene Sunday carrying palm branches and handing out missing-person fliers.


“That doesn’t mean he’s dead; that doesn’t mean he’s our brother,” Neal Figueroa said.



Mr. Figueroa stopped at a police barricade holding white roses. He kissed the flowers before throwing them on the street.


“Nicholas, come home,” he said. “We’re here for you!”


A passer-by told Nicholas Figueroa’s other brother, Brandon: “We’re so sorry for your loss. The whole city’s thinking about you.”




Neal Figueroa, the brother of one of the missing men, threw roses near the site of the explosion on Sunday. Christopher Gregory for The New York Times

Alex Vadukul and Vivian Yee contributed reporting.






Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)