Eight NYPD Officers Injured in Massive Queens House Explosion

By Felicia Guo

NEW YORK — A massive explosion tore through a Queens home early April 30, injuring eight NYPD officers and triggering a five-alarm fire that destroyed the building and damaged neighboring homes.

The explosion happened shortly before 3 a.m. at a multi-family house on 130th Street in South Ozone Park as police officers responded to a reported domestic dispute involving a man who was allegedly armed with a knife. Family members who called 911 also reported smelling gas inside the residence.

According to police, officers arrived at the house and were given a key by a family member. As several officers approached the front entrance and attempted to enter, a powerful explosion suddenly erupted from inside the building.

NYPD body-camera footage captured the moment windows blew outward and officers were thrown backward across the yard and into a fence. Despite the force of the blast, the officers quickly recovered and continued helping residents escape from the burning building.

Seven police officers and one sergeant were injured. Their injuries included minor burns, cuts and a head laceration that required stitches, according to police. The officers were taken to hospitals and later released.

The incident began with a 911 call at approximately 2:42 a.m. Police said a 50-year-old man had arrived at the residence intoxicated and allegedly carrying a knife and two bags containing canisters of an unknown substance. Authorities said he forced his way into a basement apartment where members of his family were staying.

His wife, daughter and two grandchildren were able to escape before the explosion, police said. Another family member also made it out of the residence before officers attempted to enter.

The blast immediately ignited a major fire. Flames spread through the house and reached an adjacent building as firefighters rushed to the scene.

Nearly 300 FDNY firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded, according to officials. The fire eventually reached five alarms, while the damaged home collapsed and firefighters worked for hours to prevent the flames from spreading further through the residential block.

The explosion also forced residents from nearby buildings. The New York City Department of Buildings issued full vacate orders for two adjacent homes, while the American Red Cross assisted displaced residents with temporary housing.

Police and firefighters maintained a large emergency perimeter around the scene as investigators searched through the rubble and examined what caused the explosion.

A body believed to be that of the man involved in the original domestic dispute was later recovered from the collapsed building. Authorities identified him as 50-year-old Anroop Parasram. Investigators said the exact circumstances that led to the explosion remained under investigation.

NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh said the outcome could have been significantly worse given the strength of the blast.

“We got very lucky today,” McIntosh said during a news briefing. “This could have turned out really differently.”

The explosion left a large section of the home reduced to rubble and brought a heavy NYPD and FDNY presence to the South Ozone Park neighborhood. Police vehicles, fire trucks and emergency crews remained at the location as investigators worked inside the restricted area.

For residents of the normally quiet Queens block, the early-morning explosion turned an apparent domestic dispute into a major emergency response, leaving one person dead, several first responders injured and multiple families displaced.