FDNY: 1 dead, 3 others injured in apparent blast

Firefighters in New York say one person is dead and three more have been injured in an apparent explosion and fire in a Brooklyn building.

More than 100 firefighters responded Saturday to the three-story building in the Borough Park neighborhood.

The fire was reported around 1 p.m. City property records describe the building as residential, with space for a store or office.

A message left at a possible phone number for the building’s owner wasn’t immediately returned. The area’s electric utility, National Grid, did not immediately return a call.

City Department of Buildings staffers have headed out to assess the damage.

The identity of the person who was killed was not immediately released.

The Fire Department said the injuries to the other three victims were not life-threatening.

"This is a community I know well, and I represented in the City Council," New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. "So, I know it was a real shock to the residents of this community to here this explosion. And I want everyone in the community to know that the FDNY and NYPD have responded very, very effectively in this situation."

"We have five firefighters with minor injuries who were given medical care here on the scene and did not require hospitalization, thank God," de Blasio continued. "So, this is a very tough situation, but the response from the FDNY and the other first responders has been extraordinary."

"Over 200 firefighters have participated in arresting this situation, and ensuring that the fire did not spread."