SOUTH RICHMOND HILL, QUEENS — An explosion tore through a house in the South Richmond Hill section of Queens before 3 a.m. on April 30, 2026, injuring New York Police Department officers who were responding to a domestic disturbance call. The blast triggered a five-alarm fire, collapsed the home, and damaged neighboring residences.

Officers had been called to the home after a report of an intoxicated man armed with a knife and the smell of gas inside. The 911 caller was a family member of the man, later identified as 50-year-old Anoop Parasram. The explosion occurred about 15 minutes after the initial call, as officers stood at the front door attempting to enter using a key provided by one of the victims. Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh said: "Our officers were at the front door of the residence, attempting to enter, when suddenly a massive, fiery explosion erupted."

Body camera video released by the NYPD showed officers approaching the small home when the blast blew out windows and knocked them backward across a yard and into a gate. "You guys good?" one officer can be heard saying after the explosion. "The guy just set the house on fire, we've got an explosion," one officer said in the video. Seconds later, officers, some of them injured, rushed in and helped evacuate residents, including two young children.

Eight officers were treated for minor injuries, including burns and at least one head laceration, with one officer suffering severe cuts to the head. All injured officers were believed to be in stable condition. Several residents were taken to local hospitals, and all people who had been inside the building were accounted for. A body believed to be that of the suspect was recovered from the rubble.

According to McIntosh, the man arrived at the home carrying two garbage bags filled with canisters containing an unknown substance and forced his way into the basement apartment by pushing in an air conditioning unit. His wife, daughter, and two grandchildren lived in the apartment. "Once in the apartment, the [suspect's] daughter and his two grandchildren manage to flee to safety," McIntosh said. The suspect then menaced another victim with a knife before that victim escaped.

"I want to be clear: We got very lucky today, alright. This could have turned out really differently," McIntosh said.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a social media post that the officers displayed "extraordinary bravery." Nearly 300 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to extinguish the fire. The Red Cross assisted 18 adults and seven children with temporary housing after more than a dozen residents were displaced. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.