Explosion prompts a call for infrastructure spending
Dana Rubinstein
Investigators suspect a gas explosion caused this morning's East Harlem building collapse, and one councilman is arguing that the tragedy should prompt more investment in infrastructure.
"Initial reports from the devastating explosion in East Harlem cite a noticeable smell of gas immediately before the explosion took place," said upper Manhattan councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, the chair of the transportation committee, in a statement emailed to reporters. "This troubling concern comes just a day after the Center for an Urban Future released a report noting the dire need for mass infrastructural improvements to our city's gas lines, water pipes, roads and rails. Today's events demonstrate how real that need is."
It's not clear yet whether the suspected gas explosion was caused by a failure within the buildings, or whether it was caused by a larger infrastructure failure.
But as Rodriguez notes, there's little doubt that the city's gas lines are aging.
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