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New York explosion: CCTV footage captures moment blast takes place

Panicked passersby can be seen fleeing the scene seconds later

May Bulman
Sunday 18 September 2016 10:31 BST
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CCTV captures moment of explosion in New York

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Video footage has emerged showing the moment an explosion ripped through Manhattan leaving 29 people injured.

The CCTV footage shows people walking past a construction site in New York's affluent Chelsea area when a large flash appears in the road.

Panicked passersby can then be seen running down the street away from the scene of the explosion.

A law enforcement official told Associated Press the explosion appeared to have come from a construction toolbox in front of a building.

A second suspicious device was later removed just blocks away from the explosion, which reportedly appeared to be a pressure cooker attached to wiring and a mobile phone.

It is not yet clear who was behind the blast and what motivated it.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has said the blast was “an intentional act” and tried to calm any fears among nervous New Yorkers.

Mr Blasio said the explosion had no terrorist connection and wasn't related to a pipe bomb explosion that took place hours earlier in New Jersey.

He said at a news conference near the scene: "Tonight, New York City experienced a very bad incident. We have no credible and specific threat at this moment."

The incident comes just a week after the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, which saw thousands killed in the city when terrorists flew two hijacked planes into the World Trade Centre.

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