An explosion earlier today at Second Ave and E 7th in the East Village area of NYC set 3 buildings ablaze, causing one of them to collapse completely and another to partially collapse. Authorities said that the blast was consistent with a gas explosion, and though Con Edison shut down gas service to the area, the utility’s spokesman Allan Drury can not yet confirm that it was indeed a gas leak that ignited it. At least 12 people were injured in the blast, 7 of which were taken to the hospital, 4 of which are in critical condition.