Chelsea area of New York rocked by explosion in the late evening of September 17

IN the late evening of Saturday September 17, what appeared to be a massive explosion hit a street in the Chelsea area of New York injuring at least 29 people, most of whom suffered from cuts from broken glass as windows were blown out, with others suffering from the actual concussion of the explosion.

There were no deaths and just one serious injury and the Mayor of New York Bill de Blasio confirmed that this was “an intentional act” although there was no immediate evidence to connect it with terrorism.

A second bomb, made from a pressure cooker packed with explosives connected to a mobile phone was discovered in the same general vicinity and this was taken to a safe area operated by the New York Police Department where it was deactivated.

On high alert, officers also believed that they had found a third device, but after examination it transpired that this was simply an old briefcase which had been thrown away.

Earlier in the day, a pipe bomb had exploded in a dustbin in Seaside Park New Jersey just as a five kilometre charity run was about to start but happily there were no reported injuries and there is nothing concrete to connect the this explosion with that in New York City.

President Obama has been alerted to the events of the day and a number of different local and federal departments have been called in to investigation both explosions and to try to identify those behind them.