On the heels of a fierce explosion that injured eight on the Nyack College campus Tuesday morning, officials with Orange & Rockland Utilities are focusing an ongoing investigation on a damaged gas line nearby.
The service line in question feeds into a Nyack College gym from a gas main on South Highland Drive, said Mike Donovan, a spokesman with the power company.
"How that damage occurred remains an open question," Donovan added. "Last night, O&R found evidence of recent excavation and heavy equipment work on the ground over the top of the service pipe's location and is actively pursuing that line of inquiry with local authorities."
O&R uncovered the damaged pipe after a series of pressure tests Tuesday night, officials told Patch.
"Further, investigation revealed that the steel service pipe had pulled free of its connection to the gas main," Donovan added.
According to Nyack College officials, structural engineers have completed a "preliminary investigation of the building." They project that it will be weeks before the damage is fully assessed and a plan for repairs is in place. Office space for staff and administrators and classes scheduled for the building have already been assigned to other locations.
A South Nyack-Grand View police officer investigating the odor of natural gas coming from Nyack College's Sky Island Lodge was near the building when it exploded forcefully enough to blow the windows and doors of the building at approximately 11:48 a.m. Tuesday.
Though the officer was able to stay and help with rescue efforts, he was later taken to the hospital with nausea and a headache, according to South Nyack-Grand View police—bringing the total number of injuries caused by the blast to eight. He was treated and released.
The others injured were six Nyack College employees and one student. None of the injuries were considered life threatening.
"The worst injury was a person who either jumped or was thrown from the (second story) window," said Brandon Smith, Deputy EMS Coordinator for the Rockland County Office of Emergency and Medical Services.
The strong smell of natural gas remained in the air for over an hour after the explosion. Officials backed onlookers and media well away from the building, with Rockland County Undersheriff Robert Van Cura explaining that gas level was high enough that there was a threat of another explosion.
Donovan said gas levels reached 70 percent in the building, which he called "very high." Those levels went down once O&R shut off the gas in the area. Electricity was also turned off to prevent anything that might spark another explosion, though power was restored to all local buildings except the Sky Island Lodge by 4 p.m.
Rockland County Director of Fire and Emergency Services Gordon Wren Jr. said a fire alarm and report from police about hearing a large explosion on the campus came in at approximately the same time. He said the Nyack Fire Department was on the scene within three minutes at around 11:51 a.m. He said that the building was on fire, but it had a sprinkler system that helped put it out quickly.
Officials had not released a cause for the incident Tuesday night. O&R did not declare the building safe for Rockland County B.C.I. to investigate until after 2 p.m. Donovan said. a gas leak was most likely the cause of the explosion.
Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian and Wren all praised the work of emergency responders.
"We've had a very good response by emergency service personnel," Vanderhoef said. "Fortunately, there were not any serious injuries, though one was more serious than the others."
Christian said it was fortunate that the explosion happened during the summer when the building was much less crowded than it would normally be.
Nursing student Lincy Abraham said she smelled the gas, then heard the boom from a nearby building.
A total of 30 gas customers lost service Tuesday due to the explosion; as of noon Wednesday, 16 have seen service restored.
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