Americans are on edge.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, emergency responders swiftly reacted to reports of minor explosions on Roosevelt Island. The situation was later brought under control with no apparent cause, as confirmed by fire officials. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) may have unraveled the mystery surrounding the incident.
According to the USGS, a 1.7 magnitude earthquake occurred at 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday near Astoria, Queens. Residents in both Manhattan and Queens reported sounds resembling small explosions emanating from Main Street, situated south of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, just before 6 a.m. that day. Despite the situation being resolved within an hour, FDNY crews were unable to determine the cause of the loud noises.
Numerous calls flooded 911 operators from Roosevelt Island and Astoria, triggering a significant firefighting effort involving 60 fire and medical personnel before dawn on Tuesday. Despite the extensive response, the NYPD found no evidence of a fire. A Roosevelt Island resident shared, “I heard a big boom, and then the room shook.”
Despite the absence of immediate injuries or necessary rescues, the FDNY labeled the scene as “unfounded” and transferred the investigation to Con Edison after confirming its safety. Con Edison reported no power outages on Roosevelt Island during the incident and had emergency crews on-site for further examination.
While the USGS identified an earthquake in Queens around the same time, local officials have not yet confirmed whether it was indeed the cause of the reported shaking and explosion-like sounds. During a media availability, Mayor Eric Adams’s office mentioned awaiting more information following the USGS announcement, and Mayor Adams himself stated that he did not personally feel the earthquake.