A routine police response turned into a chaotic rescue scene when a powerful explosion ripped through a home in Queens early Thursday morning, sending officers flying and lighting up the sky.
According to the New York Post, NYPD officers had arrived at a residence in South Ozone Park before dawn to respond to a reported domestic dispute.
As they approached the front door, a sudden blast erupted, leveling parts of the home and knocking multiple officers off their feet.
Video released by the NYPD captured the moment the explosion tore through the property, creating a fireball that illuminated the surrounding neighborhood.
Despite being thrown to the ground, officers quickly regrouped.
“They were hurt. They had just been thrown to the ground by an explosion,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on X.
“And in that moment, with no clear sense of what else they might be walking into, they made the decision to keep moving forward.”
Footage shows officers helping one another up in the immediate aftermath before rushing back toward the damaged home, where survivors were attempting to escape the wreckage.
Authorities later identified the man believed to be responsible for the explosion as Anrup Parasram.
According to police and sources, Parasram had forced his way into the home, where his wife, daughter, and grandchildren were inside.
Investigators believe he used an accelerant and set himself on fire, triggering the blast that destroyed much of the residence.
Parasram’s body was later recovered from the rubble, according to sources.
The explosion left the home severely damaged and transformed the quiet street into a scene of destruction within seconds.
Officers, despite being injured in the blast, focused on aiding those inside as the situation unfolded.
The incident remains under investigation as authorities work to piece together the exact sequence of events that led to the explosion.
