Building collapses, burns in New York's East Village

[Chad]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A residential apartment building collapsed and was engulfed in flames on Thursday in New York City's East Village neighborhood, critically injuring at least one person, authorities said.

Witnesses reported hearing an explosion, and local television footage showed flames leaping high into the sky and thick plumes of dark smoke.

People could be seen being carried on stretchers from the brick structure that was ablaze.

© Scott Westerfeld Fire shoots from the roof of a building after it collapsed and burst into flames in New York City's East Village as seen in this picture taken by Scott Westerfeld March 26, 2015.

A spokeswoman for the Con Edison utility company said crews were on the scene but had not determined whether there had been a gas explosion. She said gas supplies were being cut to buildings in the immediate area as a precaution.

One person was injured critically and other injuries were possible, said the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).

At least six people were being treated at the scene and two firefighters were reported injured as well, according to the Daily News newspaper.

© Reuters Video still of NYC Firefighters battling a blaze in a building, which later collapsed, in New York City's East Village, March 26, 2015. Local television reported an adjacent building was also on fire.

The FDNY said the building was located at Second Avenue and East 7th Street in Manhattan's East village, a neighborhood of small businesses, restaurants and apartments.

"We heard a big sound, then three or four people fell on the street," said Shameem Noor, a cashier at Veselka, a restaurant about a block away.

"People were running and screaming," he said. "There's a big fire on the roof and black smoke."

Reports of the collapse came in shortly after 3 p.m., the FDNY said. The FDNY declared it a seven-alarm fire.

Witnesses said it was a five-story apartment building.