NYC mayor: Injury toll in explosion, collapse rises to 22
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and JENNIFER PELTZ, Associated Press
Mar 27, 2015 2:04 PM CDT
A firefighter directs water onto the site of an explosion and fire in the East Village neighborhood of New York, Friday, March 27, 2015. The powerful blast on Thursday caused the collapse of three buildings and fire damage to a fourth, the fire department said. It left four people in critical condition,...   (Associated Press)

NEW YORK (AP) — The number of people injured in an apparent gas explosion that destroyed three New York City apartment buildings has risen to 22. Police are still searching for at least two people who are unaccounted for.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH'-zee-oh) gave an update Friday on the aftermath of Thursday's blast in Manhattan's trendy East Village. Authorities earlier had tallied 19 people injured.

Four are in critical condition. Six firefighters have minor injuries.

A diner and a restaurant worker who were in one of the destroyed buildings are missing.

Police earlier were trying to determine whether six other people reported missing were connected to the explosion. Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce says they have now narrowed that list to one.

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