'Like truck drove...': Woman describes New York explosion horror as black smoke surrounds Manhattan after 'blast'

A three alarm fire on New York's Upper East Side sent plumes of black smoke into the sky on Friday, videos on social media showed. Black smoke has been seen over Manhattan following an ' major explosion' that has rocked New York city. On Friday morning around around 10am local time, a large fire occurred near 305 East 95th Street in Manhattan, not far from Central Park

Videos circulating online show the aftermath, with the blast sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the skyline. Around 100 firefighters and first responders rushed to the scene and remain battling a blaze.



Local media reports suggest authorities were successful in containing a large fire that erupted on the roof of a seven -story apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, fire officials said Friday.

A call about the blaze on East 95th Street, between Second and First avenues, came in shortly after 10 a.m. First responders were there within 4 minutes, officials told NBC New York.

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Fire at Upper East Side apartment in New York

Flames tore through the cockloft — the narrow space between the top-floor ceiling and the roof — and engulfed three penthouses on the building’s uppermost level, officials said. The blaze did not spread to neighboring structures.

In total, 170 firefighters and EMS crews rushed to the scene. Three firefighters sustained minor injuries, though the exact nature of those injuries was not immediately disclosed, officials noted.

Footage posted on the Citizen app captured vivid orange flames shooting from the roof while billows of thick black smoke rolled across the skyline.

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Videos showed the bright orange flames and thick, black smoke shooting from the roof and into the sky above. More videos showed firefighters on the roof as the flames billowed out of the structure. The fire spread to the building's cockloft and three penthouses before it was contained, FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief James Canty told CBS News.

'The entire building shook'

People in the neighborhood reported hearing an explosion when the fire started. "The entire building shook. I actually thought something, like a truck, drove into the building, or even an earthquake," a woman told CBS.

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The NYC Office of Emergency Management advised people nearby to close their windows because of the smoke and said to expect traffic delays in the area.

According to the City Department of Buildings, there was a partial stop-work order at the location. We are working to get more details about the order. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The city's Office of Emergency Management advised people to avoid the area. Sensitive residents may also want to close their windows.