Rangel says the mystery of the explosion is 'worrisome.' Rangel: 'Our community's 9/11'

Rep. Charles Rangel called an apparent building explosion and collapse in his district in Harlem of New York City the most “horrific” thing that has hit his home district in his time in Washington and said it is his community’s Sept. 11.

“I’ve never had anything this horrific that’s happened in my community since I’ve been in Washington,” Rangel told NBC’s New York affiliate Wednesday as news reports of the fire response continued to come in. “I hope that soon, and very soon, it will be contained and we can go back to some degree of normal normalcy.”


The New York Democrat said his entire staff in New York was on hand, and he was evaluating whether he needs to leave Washington to go home Wednesday night to be there for his community.

In the meantime, he said members of Congress from New York were monitoring the reports, as well.

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“This is a very serious thing. It’s our community’s 9/11, even though we don’t know how it started,” Rangel said. “The whole New York delegation has been concerned, and members that are not in committee are glued to the television and hearing reports from you makes us at least a little closer to home.”

Rangel said the lack of information heightened the worry.

“The mystery of all of this thing is just worrisome,” Rangel said. “It is a frightening thought. And especially, you don’t know what caused it, how to contain it, how far, how dangerous it is now, even though it’s being contained. I understand the buildings have collapsed. And there is nothing more of a nightmare [than] to think there may be people in those buildings as it collapsed.”

( PHOTOS: Charlie Rangel’s career)

The Fire Department of New York elevated the blaze to a five-alarm fire Wednesday morning, it tweeted. Metro North train service also was suspended as the building was adjacent to train tracks.

At least three people were killed and 50 injured, The New York Times reported after Rangel’s interview.

Rangel is in his 22nd term in Congress and is running for a 23rd term this fall.

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