New York City building collapses 'after explosion'

New York City emergency crews are responding to reports of an explosion and building collapse.

It is unknown if anyone has been hurt in the incident at 116th Street and Park Avenue on Wednesday morning.

East Harlem residents reported hearing a blast in the apartment building before it caved in, according to US media.

Aerial images of the site showed a huge pall of smoke or dust with fire crews dousing the rubble.

The local utility has been called to shut off the gas following the explosion, which damaged windows in the area, reports WABC TV.

"It was an explosion and a building collapsed," a spokesman for New York Police Department told AFP news agency.

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