Twenty people were inside a Syracuse, N.Y., house that collapsed Tuesday following reports of an explosion.
Ten people were transported to the hospital, eight of whom are on advanced life support, a fire official said. Of those, eight are considered seriously injured. More people may be trapped inside, the official said.
Several children are among the victims, according to fire officials.
Search and rescue efforts are underway.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday following multiple 911 calls describing an explosion that collapsed a building.
Multiple victims were outside the home, including an individual who was trapped inside a car involved in the collapse. Officials say it is not clear how the car got there.
Officials have not provided an update on the victims’ condition.
New York Governor Katy Hochul said on X Tuesday afternoon that she had spoken with Syracuse’s mayor following the explosion.
There was a “strong odor of gas” emanating from the building, according to a Syracuse fire official.
The explosion happened as a heat wave covered the East Coast. Because of the hot temperatures, the fire official said the department is on watch for potential heat exhaustion and rotating firefighters.
