New York City explosion: Two people missing – one man has not been seen since lunch date with colleague at sushi restaurant right before blast

Two men are currently missing after a suspected gas explosion in New York. One has not been seen or heard from since he went on a lunch date with a co-worker at a restaurant in the building where the incident occurred.

Four buildings were engulfed in flames – of which two also partly collapsed – around 3.20pm local time yesterday after plumbing works were being carried out. Nineteen people were injured, four of which are in critical condition.

Nicholas Figueroa, 23, finished having lunch with a female colleague at Sushi Park – situated at the base of one of the East Village buildings – and had just paid for their meal. He has not been seen or heard from since, The New York Times reported.

The other man, named Moises Lucon, was working at the restaurant. No further information about him has been released.


Mr Figueroa’s co-worker suffered a broken nose and had been unconscious after the blast. She only remembered that she had gone to the restaurant at 121 Second Avenue with Mr Figueroa when questioned at Bellevue Hospital about what had happened.

A $13.04 debit card transaction from Mr Figueroa’s bank statement shows that he paid for their meals right before the blast. His brother Tyler, 19, said he is still missing after the family had searched hospitals and contacted the police for help.
“My father is not stable, because he’s crying so much,” Tyler said, according to The New York Times. “The police said that they’re looking into it, but we just want to know how this could’ve happened.”
Mr Figueroa and his co-worker are reported to have both worked at Bowlmor Lanes on Manhattan’s Chelsea Pier, not more than half a mile (just less than a kilometre) away from the site of the explosion.

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