An explosion rocked a New York City street Saturday night, injuring at least 25 people, authorities said.
Police spokesman J. Peter Donald said on Twitter that the possible explosion happened at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday on West 23rd Street in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. NYPD Special Ops reported in a tweet that a possible secondary device has been located nearby.
“We believe this was an intentional act,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. He tweeted: “Investigation is ongoing. Though we believe this was an intentional act, there is no credible terror threat against NYC at this moment.”
The New York Fire Department initially said on Twitter that at least 25 people were hurt. As of 11:30PM, the NYPD updated that number to 29 injuries, one considered serious. 24 were taken to area hospitals.
Video broadcast on TV and images posted on social media showed police, fire trucks and other first responders arriving on the scene. The area where the blast occurred is a major thoroughfare with many restaurants. Witnesses say FBI and Homeland Security officials are also at the scene.
It's so scary. The explosion was so loud & strong. My Appartment shook. #chelsea #nyc #explosion pic.twitter.com/61Cxla4gZk
— DG0325 (@DaniloGabrielli) September 18, 2016
A raw video of the situation in #Chelsea just after the #explosion. I just run outside the street of 23td & 7th. pic.twitter.com/iYEq7EKteP
— DG0325 (@DaniloGabrielli) September 18, 2016
Eerie scene in NYC right now. Lots of police activity. #NYCexplosion pic.twitter.com/9llzM9wE1A
— Stephanie Wash (@WashNews) September 18, 2016
The blast occurred the same day that an explosive device detonated on Saturday morning before an annual New Jersey road race benefiting U.S. Marines and sailors, authorities said. However, Mayor de Blasio stated that based on current information on the New York City explosion there is “no connection to an earlier incident in NJ.”
The pipe bomb had been inside a trash can on the boardwalk in Seaside Park, N.J., the Associated Press reported.
Thousands of people were set to take part in the 5K race, which has since been canceled. Runners were expected to pass by that area of the boardwalk at the time of the explosion, but the start of the race was delayed when an unattended backpack was found, the AP reported.
No injuries have been reported, according to the AP. The incident is still being investigated by state and federal authorities.
This article is being updated as information becomes available.
