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Sources say Mitchel Houses explosion was inches from a catastrophe

Brick by brick, crews are removing the remaining parts of the chimney.

Mike Lamorte

Oct 3, 2025, 12:15 PM

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NYCHA sources at the scene of the Mitchel Houses collapse told News 12 Wednesday, it was inches from a catastrophe.

Brick by brick, crews are removing the remaining parts of the chimney. Inspectors say thanks to an extra layer of brick between the chimney and the building, families were able to relocate temporarily instead of planning for funerals.

Gas and hot water have been cut from all buildings in the complex, as renovations are expected to take weeks to complete.

“We don’t have hot water, no stove," said Diallo, a tenant of another Mitchel Houses building. "Nothing, nothing, nothing. After three days now."

Despite each building having its own boiler system, inspectors told News 12 the outage is to prevent any further explosions in the event there is another gas leak.

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