NYC medical examiner releases autopsy results from blast victims

NEW YORK - The New York City medical examiner says seven of the eight people killed in a suspected gas explosion that leveled two apartment buildings died of either smoke inhalation or blunt trauma.

The autopsy results were released on Monday as investigators continued to examine the circumstances of the blast.

The medical examiner classified the seven deaths as accidents. Results are still pending for the eighth victim, who has not yet been identified.

The explosion on Wednesday injured more than 60 others. Authorities say the blast occurred about 15 minutes after someone from a neighboring building reported smelling gas.

Video shows the deadly blast shattering windows, seemingly out of nowhere, and debris beginning to rain down onto the sidewalk. A cloud of thick, black smoke begins to envelop everything as the buildings explode.

A man walking across the street is nearly knocked off his feet by the blast. He ducks, tries to cover his head, and is pushed back, apparently disoriented.

The blast is believed to have been triggered by a gas leak, although officials haven't released the official results of their investigation into the cause yet.