Five people, including a firefighter, were injured in an explosion at a church in New York, local authorities said, according to local media reports.
Emergency crews responded to a reported gas odor at Abundant Life Church in Boonville on Tuesday. The church appeared to be destroyed.
All those injured were taken to a hospital in Utica for treatment.
The church was reportedly heated using propane cylinders, though the precise cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Emergency response activity continues on State Route 12 in both directions at Potato Hill Road in Boonville, where all lanes have been closed.
Authorities have advised motorists to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
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Two people in critical condition
Two individuals, the firefighter and another person, were listed in critical condition, New York State Police said, while the remaining victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Three additional individuals are being treated for injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Authorities described the damage to the church as “catastrophic” following the explosion.
Video footage shared widely on social media showed the building largely destroyed, with its upper section blown away and the remaining structure blackened by smoke and fire. Firefighters were seen battling the blaze from ladder trucks.
Burn injuries sustained by pastor
In a post on the church’s Facebook page, a parishioner said the pastor and another congregant were inside at the time of the blast and sustained burn injuries.
New York State Police said that, as of Tuesday afternoon, there were no indications of criminal activity. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
