The investigation into what caused Wednesday’s deadly gas explosion and two-building collapse in East Harlem remained stalled Sunday as firefighters continued to clear the remaining debris from the basements.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board had hoped to begin pressure-testing gas lines to find where the leak occurred but said tests will likely be pushed back to Monday to allow the FDNY to clear the area.
“It takes time to do investigations, document and voucher evidence and continue with forensics,” said FDNY spokesman Jim Long.
“We’re going to be looking at every piece of evidence both to get an understanding of what occurred and why.”
East Harlem residents, meanwhile, gathered at churches across the neighborhood Sunday to pray for the eight victims who died in the gas explosion and reflect on the traumatic week.
In an effort to begin healing the pain and grief caused by the tragic blast, Mayor de Blasio joined tearful congregants of two East Harlem churches that each lost multiple parishioners.
The mayor and his wife, Chirlane McCray, first visited Bethel Gospel Assembly to remember blast victims Carmen Tanco, 67 and Griselde Camacho, 44.
“If there’s one thing New Yorkers can count on when there’s a crisis, it’s other New Yorkers,” McCray said.
Additional reporting by Gabrielle Fonrouge