A plumbing truck exploded and burst into flames early Friday morning on a residential street in Queens, NYC, damaging six homes and two cars.
The explosion occurred around 6:45 a.m. outside 131-16 133rd Street. Videos of the incident showed residents in shock, gathering on the block to witness the chaos as the vehicle erupted into huge orange flames.
Authorities expect the explosion was triggered by pressurized gas cylinders and an unsecured torch inside the vehicle. “There were also some lithium-ion batteries that were being stored in the car. They were not compromised, but they were safely overpacked by their hazmat unit. Very fortunately there had been some people on the street that had left the immediate vicinity of this vehicle before this event unfolded,” said FDNY Deputy Chief George Healy.
The FDNY fire marshals and the NYPD are investigating the cause and circumstances surrounding the explosion, as well as the bomb squad. The owner of the van maintains that all of his equipment was properly stored, but investigators are hoping to find out for sure.
“They have to be stored upright, they can’t be stored on their side, that would be things that are being looked at, especially people in the industry should be very aware of the safety procedures and best practices,” Healy said.
For now, it just seems like an accident but who knows.
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