At least 19 people have been wounded by an explosion that caused two buildings to collapse in New York City.
About 200 fire fighters jostled to ease down the resultant blaze that affected four buildings on Second Avenue at East Seventh Street near New York University and the Washington Square Park area, reported the BBC.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said that there were no reports of missing persons but added that the situation was fluid.
Officials said that they believed that work was being done to the building's gas utilities before the explosion.
The blast triggered a fire in a building that housed a sushi restaurant and then the fire spread quickly to the adjacent buildings, official said.
