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Efforts to contain the fire and then in the coming hours, to finally put the fire out. there was no warning in advance from the information we have now, i'd like to emphasize everything i'm telling you is based on preliminary information. this is the best information we have at this moment and is by definition preliminary. but from what we know now, the only indication of danger came about 15 minutes earlier when a gas leak was reported to con edison. con ed dispatched a team immediately to respond. the explosion occurred before that team could arrive. as soon as the explosion was called in, f...

As soon as he arrives. but first, there are also reports that there were heating problems from the building. wnbc reporting that there had been complaints of no heat in the building. that con ed utility was called to the scene. what can you tell us about that? >> reporter: well, there were reports, con ed confirmed that they were on their way to the scene of this explosion to investigate reports of a gas leak when the explosion happened just after 9:00 this morning eastern time. there are also concerns expressed by neighbors that there are a number of building code violations that had not been...

Tom fariela. also would like to welcome john mcevoy, the president and ceo of con ed, who is us. and thank council member inez dickens for being here. and we have representative of congressman rangel's office as well. so today, at approximately 9:30 a.m., there was a major explosion that destroyed two buildings. the explosion was based on a gas leak. the impact affected buildings around the two that were destroyed, very heavy impact on the surrounding buildings. a heavy fire has ensued as well. the fire is now up to five-alarm level of response. and fdny is continuing its

And she recounted how everyone has been responding as needed. but as mayor de blasio did say, there may still be people missing. they are still doing a search. they say that there was only 15 minutes of warning, the first call to con ed to come because of a suspected gas leak before the explosion actually took place. so con ed did not get there before the explosion had taken place. there was a five-alarm fire. more than 250 fire responders, and they are trying to contain that as well as they're going to have to dig up under the building, under the street to try to turn off all the gas. so that...

>> ron, if you'll stand by, we are seeing also the podium being set up for the mayor who will be doing a briefing. and joining me now by phone from east harlem is an eyewitness, christopher graham. mr. graham, thank you for joining us. tell me, what did you see happen? >> we're three blocks away, and when the explosion happened, it shook my windows and it got me to get up out of my chair. i went over to 116th street. as i walked across from madison to park, the streets were covered in rubble and broken glass. there was a bus, you know, sideways in the middle of the street with a car behind it....