Car explosion in NYC damages homes and vehicles in Queens, video shows
NEW YORK -- An explosion in New York City damaged nearly a dozen homes and vehicles on Friday.
Surveillance video shows the moment a parked car exploded in Queens, damaging homes and other vehicles on the block.
"Sounded like a bomb. Boom" said neighbor Harry Boohoo.
The blast in South Ozone Park sent debris flying and shattered windows on five homes and five other cars, but no injuries were reported.
Black smoke filled the sky over the flaming car.
"I was just in my apartment upstairs, and my two kids. We hear this big, blow up, like lightning. So I told my kids 'Get out! Get out!'" said Ernana Fredricks. "I never see anything like this, other than a movie."
"It's a miracle no one was hurt," said Justin Grizzlesoto.
A "catastrophic explosion," FDNY chief says
Authorities said it's not entirely clear what caused the car to suddenly blow up just before 7 a.m. on 133rd Street near 131st Avenue.
"This vehicle was being used also for some construction. There were some pressurized cylinders in the vehicle. One of those cylinders experienced a failure. That experienced this catastrophic explosion of the car," FDNY Deputy Chief George Healy said.
Authorities were looking into whether a pressurized gas canister was properly sealed.
"There were also some lithium-ion batteries that were being stored in the car. They were not compromised," Healy added.
Blown-up car used for family's plumbing business
Dinell Harricharan, who owns the vehicle that exploded, said his family's plumbing business used the car to transport tools and equipment.
He said the equipment was accidentally left in the car overnight.
"We're plumbers. We have battery operated tools, so we have all the tools in the car. We have an acetylene tank in the car that we used for soldering," Harricharan said. "We always take it out every evening and take it inside in a safe spot, in the garage. But last night for some reason we didn't take it out."
Harricharan said the loss is devastating to the family business.
"Definitely have to get a new car, because that's our lifeline," Harricharan said.
The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Authorities said it doesn't appear there was any foul play.
