Two Bodies Found in Rubble of East Village Building Explosion
UPDATE 8:30 p.m.: One of the deceased has been identified as 23-year-old Nicholas Figueroa. According to reports, Figueroa was on a first date and reportedly got caught in the worst of the blast when he walked to the back of the restaurant, apparently to pay the check. His date, who was apparently waiting at the table, survived with a broken rib and punctured lung.
UPDATE 4:20 p.m.: According to WABC, authorities say they have found a second body in the rubble of the explosion. The identification of both bodies is reportedly pending.
Police say that search crews have found human remains in the rubble of the East Village building explosion that injured 19 people earlier this week, The New York Post reports.
Since the fiery blast on Thursday, two men have been reported missing, 23-year-old Nicholas Figueroa and 27-year-old Moises Locon, a patron and busboy of the destroyed Sushi Park restaurant. According to the Post, it was not immediately clear whether the body discovered on Sunday was that of a man or a woman.
On Saturday, NBC New York reported that investigators were looking into the possibility that the explosion was caused by a jury-rigged gas line, sources saying that the building had been previously cited for such a free gas scheme.
[Image via AP Images]