Chelsea, following the explosion.
Photo: Twitter
Explosion rocks Manhattan
At least 29 people were injured in the blast, which occurred in the popular Chelsea neighborhood. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said there was no clear indication as of yet that the incident was connected to terrorism.
An explosion rocked the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan on Saturday night, injuring at least 29 people, authorities said, adding that they are investigating the blast as a criminal act not immediately linked to any terror organization.
NYC Mayor de Blasio visits explosion site. (צילום: רויטרס)
Mayor Bill de Blasio said early indications were that blast was intentional. He said the site of the explosion, outside on a major thoroughfare of a fashionable enclave in one of the most bustling areas of New York City, was being treated as a crime scene.
Chelsea, after the explosion. No indication of terrorism as of yet. (Photo: Twitter)
But he said there was no evidence of a "credible and specific threat" to the city. "We do not see a link to terrorism," he added.
"It is too early to determine what the incident was caused by. We believe it was intentional. A full investigation is under way."
A law enforcement source said an initial investigation suggested the explosion occurred in a dumpster but the cause was still undetermined. The head of the New York Police Department's special operations division said on Twitter that a "possible secondary device has been located" in the same general area.
CNN reported that law enforcement sources believe an improvised explosive device caused the blast.
Pressure cooker device found near site
Police combing the area around the scene of an explosion found a pressure cooker nearby connected to a cell phone with wires attached, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources.
