Gas has been pegged as the cause of the explosion, but authorities as of late yesterday were investigating the building's owner, Dr. Nicholas Bartha. The 66-year-old physician was the only occupant in the building at the time of the explosion and is a suspect behind the blast.
In published reports yesterday, it was revealed that Bartha had recently sent a peculiar email to his wife stating that he was contemplating suicide. According to an Associated Press report, a police official said that part of the note stated, "You will be transformed from a gold digger to an ash and rubble digger."
It's said that Bartha was despondent because he was facing a $4 million lien in a legal wrangle with his wife. A total of 15 people were injured--five civilians and 10 firefighters.
Con Edison had been spotted on the scene earlier yesterday morning in response to reports of gas leak. Local residents told the AP that the "everybody started running; nobody knew what was coming next."
The neighborhood is a tony Upper East Side area. Reports cite the 2000 Census as putting the median home price at $1 million.
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