Firefighters rescued a woman from the second floor of a burning home at a gated condominium complex in Westchester minutes before the building exploded, and authorities are investigating whether there was a gas leak, according to police.
Greenburgh Police Chief Chris McNerney said authorities responding to the blaze on Turnberry Drive around 9 a.m. had received a report that a woman trying to escape heavy fire on the second floor may have gotten trapped in an elevator. They were able to get her out of the building shortly before it exploded.
McNerney said there was no warning before the explosion, which affected only the one condo.
One woman who lives in the community said she didn't hear the explosion, but she smelled smoke, and when she walked outside to see what was happening, she said, "I saw all hell broke loose there."
No one else was hurt in addition to the woman rescued, he said. She was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and sent to Westchester Medical Center for evaluation.
Utility crews shut off gas and electricity near the home as authorities investigated the cause of the fire and explosion.
Firefighters continued to battle the fire throughout the morning, and McNerney said authorities feared the flames could spread to adjacent homes. He said the damage to the home that initially caught fire is significant and authorities are concerned it could collapse.
Greenburgh Police Chief Chris McNerney said authorities responding to the blaze on Turnberry Drive around 9 a.m. had received a report that a woman trying to escape heavy fire on the second floor may have gotten trapped in an elevator. They were able to get her out of the building shortly before it exploded.
McNerney said there was no warning before the explosion, which affected only the one condo.
One woman who lives in the community said she didn't hear the explosion, but she smelled smoke, and when she walked outside to see what was happening, she said, "I saw all hell broke loose there."
No one else was hurt in addition to the woman rescued, he said. She was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and sent to Westchester Medical Center for evaluation.
Utility crews shut off gas and electricity near the home as authorities investigated the cause of the fire and explosion.
Firefighters continued to battle the fire throughout the morning, and McNerney said authorities feared the flames could spread to adjacent homes. He said the damage to the home that initially caught fire is significant and authorities are concerned it could collapse.
