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[UPDATE] Two Bodies Recovered At The East Village Blast Site
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Mar 29, 2015
Modified Mar 30, 2015
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Mar 29, 2015
Modified Mar 30, 2015
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Two bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the East Village blast site.
An NYPD spokesman said that the remains were found at around 1:00 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. this afternoon at the site of the Thursday's explosion and subsequent 7-alarm fire at Second Avenue near East 7th Street.
The spokesman said that the the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the identity of the victims and the cause of death.
Nicholas Figueroa, 23, who was on a date at Sushi Park when the explosion occurred, and Moises Ismael Locón Yac, the restaurant's busboy, 27, are both missing; 22 people were injured in the blast, four of them critically. Authorities believe that an illegally siphoned gas line may be to blame for the incident.
We'll update if we learn more.
[This post was updated at 4:25 p.m. to reflect the finding of the second body]
[UPDATE // 6:15 p.m.]The Daily News and the Post are reporting that one of the bodies has been identified as Nicholas Figueroa. An NYPD spokesman couldn't immediately confirm the reports.
The Times reports that at a press conference Sunday evening, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said that Moises Ismael Locón Yac's body had also been found: “Everyone who was reported missing has been found. “We continue to search...the likelihood of anyone else being here is very small.”
Tagged
east village
east village explosion
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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