Tragic Bx. gas blast

Woman, 77, dies, sis & 5 cops hurt

A Bronx home exploded in flames Tuesday morning during a possible gas leak, killing a 77-year-old woman and injuring at least seven others, officials said.

Two sisters, including fatal victim Martha Dagbasta, were in the house when it blew up, and both were found lying on the ground outside when emergency responders arrived at the scene, the FDNY said.

The surviving sister is in critical condition, and a third woman, who was in a neighboring unit that was badly damaged by the explosion, has serious injuries, the FDNY said.

The third woman became trapped in her home, and NYPD officers rushed in and carried her out, Mayor Adams said.

The sister is 82 years old and the neighbor is 68, according to the NYPD.

Five cops also suffered injuries from smoke inhalation and were in stable condition.

“This is a serious tragedy,” Brian Benjamin, the state lieutenant governor, said at the scene. “My heart goes out to the families who’ve been affected. The governor and I will make sure that the state does everything it can, financially and otherwise, to help these homeowners who have been impacted by this tragedy.”

‘Actions saved lives’

Around 200 firefighters and EMS officials responded to the home on Fox Street near Intervale Avenue in Longwood just before 11 a.m., about four minutes after they received reports of an explosion and collapse.

Photos showed flames engulfing the building, and later, thick plumes of smoke rising from the debris as dozens of firefighters worked the scene.

Adams held a press conference with Benjamin and FDNY officials hours after the explosion, and said gas had been turned off on the entire block while officials investigated the cause of the catastrophe.

“We saved lives today. Our actions saved lives,’’ Adams said.

NYPD bodycam footage showed cops rescue the injured woman trapped under a couch when the house next door exploded in flames.

Adams praised the quick response of the officers going into the building next door amid the threat of an additional explosion.

He said that an investigation will attempt to determine the cause.

“We want to get the gas back on as quickly as possible because we have a lot of seniors on this block,” he said. “These are small-home owners, and it’s really the bedrock of this community.”

Con Edison confirmed that its workers were on scene, and the FDNY said there were reports of an odor of gas earlier in the morning.

The incident comes nine days after an inferno at a Bronx high-rise killed nine adults and eight children ranging in age from 2 to 50.

“This tragic and frightening event after the inferno we saw just days ago just really adds to the pressure on The Bronx and all those who have experienced and overcome this issue,” Adams said.