Crime & Safety
Gas Main Ruptures Outside LES NYCHA Building, FDNY Says
A gas main ruptured outside the Baruch Houses Thursday afternoon, an FDNY spokesman said.
LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A gas main ruptured outside a 14-story public housing complex on the Lower East Side Thursday afternoon leaving 134 units without cooking gas, an FDNY spokesman and NYCHA said.
Firefighters rushed to the Baruch Houses at 571 FDR Drive about 2:45 p.m. Thursday after receiving reports of a gas leak, said the FDNY.
The gas main ruptured in front of the 14-story New York City Housing Authority development, which rests along the FDR Drive just north of the Williamsburg Bridge, officials said.
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Friday, New York City Housing Authority said that ConEdison shutdown gas service after a gas leak was caused by a contractor's excavation work.
Hot plates were distributed to residents, NYCHA said. The gas outage — which affected cooking gas and not heat or hot water — impacted 134 units, according to NYCHA.
Find out what's happening in Lower East Side-Chinatownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
NYCHA staff will hold a meeting in the building's lobby Friday night to update residents, NYCHA said.
ConEdison spokesman Bob McGee said the company was meeting with NYCHA Friday afternoon to discuss repairs.
Twelve units and 60 firefighters as well as ConEdison responded to the building Thursday, the FDNY spokesman said.
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