Death Toll Rises to 8 in New York City Blast

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NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 13: Firemen watch as work crews remove debris from the site of an explosion in East Harlem on March 13, 2014 in New York City. At least 7 people were killed, according to reports, in Wednesday's explosion which collapsed two buildings on Park Avenue at 116th Street.
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 13: Firemen watch as work crews remove debris from the site of an explosion in East Harlem on March 13, 2014 in New York City. At least 7 people were killed, according to reports, in Wednesday's explosion which collapsed two buildings on Park Avenue at 116th Street.John Moore—Getty Images
By Noah Rayman

Updated: March 14, 5:05 a.m. E.T.

Firefighters pulled an eighth body from the rubble Thursday as the death toll continued to rise from Wednesday’s gas explosion in New York City.

City officials say a gas leak triggered the explosion Wednesday morning, which injured more than 60 people and leveled two buildings in upper Manhattan. At least three of the injured were children, the Associated Press reports.

Rescue workers spent a wet, frigid night searching for victims buried under the rubble, using floodlights and thermal-imaging cameras to identify heat spots that might indicate bodies. Police in surgical masks guarded the site as temperatures dropped into the 20s, according to the AP.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Thursday afternoon that firefighters are still putting out smoldering fires in the wreckage and said the city is “continuing rescue operations hoping to find others still alive.”

He said 66 people are receiving temporary shelter at the Salvation Army.

Rescue crews had cleared away roughly half of the debris by Thursday evening, hoping that at the current rate they might reach the building’s foundation by Saturday. In the meantime, they are sifting through each layer of rubble for human remains and clues to the cause of the explosion.

The New York City fire and police departments will jointly investigate the explosion in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigates pipeline accidents, the mayor said.

An NTSB investigator told the AP they would conduct a timeline of events and look into how the Con Edison utility handled reports of gas odors.

Residents of one of the buildings told the New York Times they smelled gas Tuesday night and the odor was still noticeable Wednesday morning.

A Con Ed spokeswoman confirmed that the utility received a call about a heavy gas odor at 9:13 a.m., less than 20 minutes before the explosion. A Con Ed crew dispatched two minutes after the call arrived just after the explosion.

The New York City fire department said it had no reports from tenants of gas leaks in the past month.

Deadly Building Collapse in New York City

Explosion Causes Two Buildings To Collapse In Manhattan's East Harlem Neighborhood
Smoke pours from the debris as the New York City Fire Department responds to a fire and building collapse at 1646 Park Avenue in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan on March 12, 2014Andrew Burton—Getty Images
A victim is evacuated by emergency personal near an apparent building explosion fire and collapse in the Harlem section of New York City
A victim is evacuated by emergency personal near an apparent building explosion fire and collapse in Harlem.Mike Segar—Reuters
Firefighters respond to a reported explosion in Harlem.
Firefighters respond to a reported explosion in Harlem.Justin Lane—EPA
Firefighters respond to an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in East Harlem.
Firefighters respond to an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in East Harlem.John Minchillo—AP
Police respond to the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in East Harlem.
Police respond to the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in East Harlem.Jeremy Sailing—AP
People watch as New York City firefighters examine the rubble at an apparent building explosion fire and collapse in the Harlem section of New York
People watch as New York City firefighters examine the rubble at an apparent building explosion fire and collapse in Harlem.Eric Thayer—Reuters
Residents watch as firefighters work at the scene of a building collapse
Residents watch as firefighters work at the scene of a building collapse in New York, March 12, 2014. Shannon Stapleton—Reuters
New York City firefighters examine the rubble at an apparent building explosion fire and collapse in the Harlem section of New York
New York City firefighters examine the rubble at an apparent building explosion fire and collapse in Harlem.Eric Thayer—Reuters

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Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com