Off-duty FDNY firefighter Mike Shepherd didn't need to be in uniform to be a hero in the aftermath of the fiery East Village building explosion Thursday that leveled three buildings, injured about two dozen people and left two people missing. 

The Squad 41 firefighter is the man seen in widely viewed videos of the scene climbing up a fire escape to check for any possibly trapped residents inside 121 Second Ave. after the blast Thursday afternoon.

"I heard a loud explosion and I look down the block and I just started running toward the corner," he told reporters at an FDNY briefing Friday.

He helped to direct a woman down from the second-floor apartment on the fire escape.

Then "I just climbed it, started searching my way up from the second floor. Opened the window and looked in and the floor was collapsed," said Shepherd. He continued up to the third floor.

He didn't come down until he'd gotten all the way up to the top floor, and the danger to himself became all too real.

"I could feel the heat and the smoke, and I said, 'I gotta get outta here now,'" he said. "And I looked and I could see 9-truck coming and 33-engine, so I said, 'Worst case scenario, they'll have to put the bucket up and grab me."

Witness Troy Hinson recorded Shepherd climbing up the fire escape and told NBC News the crowd below was terrified as they watched. 

"You're kind of in awe at what this guy's doing but you're also kind of holding your breath and you're like, I don't want to see this guy die in front of me, but that was definitely going through my mind," he said. 

"Some people just react a certain way, and he just instinctively reacted to climb up there, and that guy is truly the hero," said Hinson. 

Shepherd said he thought of his family, his wife, son daughters and granddaughter -- but the third-generation firefighter knew he couldn't walk away without helping.

"Maybe it's just in your blood," he said. "But being a New Yorker, you're always willing to go out and help somebody, you know."
 

A school bus driver helped about 35 students safely exit a burning bus Friday morning in front of an Orange County, California, school after flames spread from its engine area.

Two students were treated by firefighter-paramedics at the scene, but they did not suffer serious injuries, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

The full size school bus' engine bay caught fire in front of Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate School at about 8:15 a.m. Firefighters, who initially thought it might be a wildfire due to the amount of smoke, extinguished the fire about 15 minutes later.

The 20-year-old driver Lisa Sherrill, who declined an interview, did "an excellent job" of getting all the students off the bus safely, according to the OCFA.

A thick column of black smoke could be seen from around the school campus and in the surrounding neighborhood. Explosions were heard as the bus tires burst due to the heat and fire.

Daniel Grantham had just dropped his son off at the school when he looked in his rearview mirror and saw the smoke.

"I saw (smoke) coming from the direction of the school and that was my first worry," Grantham said. "I flipped around and pulled up right in front of the school where the bus was. It was burning when I got there.

"I've got to give kudos to the bus driver. The bus driver is the real hero."

Sherrill noticed smoke coming out of the engine area as she pulled up in front of the school, said Steve Concialdi, of the Orange County Fire Authority. She calmly helped the children, ages 12 to 14, off the bus before using a fire extinguisher to fight the fire.

"These are her kids -- she takes them to school every day," said Concialdi

The front of the bus sustained significant damage. A location manager for the bus company told NBC4 the buses are inspected every 45 days, but did not have information regarding information specific to the bus that burned.

"Our students were safely evacuated to the PE school area when the school bus fire was reported," Principal Rick Jameson said in a statement. "This is our normal evacuation procedure. We take school safety when it comes to the safety of students as well as staff. Three kids had some emotional suffering, mostly just panicking and hyperventilating, but nobody was injured. Those three students were released to their parents. We will continue with regular school schedule for today."
 

RSM - The bus driver did an excellent job of getting all the students off the bus safely.

— OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) March 27, 2015

A Boston Police officer honored for his role in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings is listed in critical condition after he was shot in the face following a traffic stop in the city's Roxbury neighborhood Friday evening, police said.

Officer John T. Moynihan, a 34-year-old who has been with the department since 2008, was transported to Boston Medical Center. Moynihan is listed in critical condition and remains sedated; however a senior Boston Police source said Saturday morning that he "had a good night" and is expected to survive and recover, NBC reported.

The 41-year-old suspect, identified as Angelo West, was killed in the shooting on Humboldt Avenue after police returned fire. Boston Police and the Suffolk District Attorney's Office have launched a thorough investigation and will determine if police were justified in the shooting death.

West was arrested in 2001 in another police-involved shooting.

Police say two other suspects that were in the vehicle are in custody "on unrelated matters."

"One of the occupants of the pulled over motor vehicle came out, he turned, he fired, he shot one of our officers under the right eye," Boston Police Commissioner William Evans told reporters Friday.

Moynihan is a decorated military veteran and active in the department's Youth Violence Strike Force, and a decorated veteran who served as a U.S. Army ranger in the Iraq War from 2005 until 2008, the year he joined the Boston Police Department.

MBTA officer Dic Donohue, who was injured in the manhunt after Boston Marathon bombings, confirms to necn that Moynihan helped rescue him back in 2013. The following year, Moynihan received the Nation's Top Cops Award from President Barack Obama, honoring him for his "heroic and relentless" response in Watertown.

"Last night was a tough night and it hit home when we found out who the injured officer was. John played a part in saving my life, and that's something I will never forget," Donohue told necn in a statement Saturday. "His record of service speaks for itself. Everyone is wishing him well and we know he has the strength to pull through."

"The doctors are working hard on him," said Evans, who added that Moynihan is fighting for his life. "All our prayers are going out for him. I just ask for everyone's support in helping him pull through.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the officer injured tonight, his family and friends and the entire Boston Police Department during this difficult time," said Mayor Marty Walsh in a statement. "These acts of violence have no place in our neighborhoods. Our community is stronger than ever, and tonight, we are thankful for all of those who put their lives on the line every day to protect our city."

A middle-aged woman who was caught in the crossfire as she drove by suffered a flesh wound to her right arm.

"She's fine," said Evans, who went to visit her. "She's in good spirits, thank God."

Evans added that three officers were taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital for stress.

Mayor Marty Walsh released a statement on the incident Saturday: 

"My thoughts and prayers continue to be with Officer John Moynihan, his family, friends, the innocent person caught in the crossfire, and the entire community impacted by Friday night's violence. I have spoken with Officer Moynihan's family and Commissioner Evans and I am hopeful that under the experienced and talented team at Boston Medical Center the Officer will continue on a strong path to recovery. It is clear that Officer Moynihan is a hero for our city, and the entire nation, and today we are thankful for all of those who put their lives on the line every day to protect us."

Anyone with information is asked to call 1 (800) 494-TIPS.

After Glendale, California, police released a dashcam video that appeared to contradict claims by "Empire" star Taraji Henson that her son was racially profiled during a traffic stop, the actress apologized to the department on her Instagram account.

The dashcam video released by the Glendale Police Department seemed to contradict statements from Henson that her son was racially profiled by police during the Oct. 18 stop. She also said her son had been profiled by police at USC.

"I would like to publicly apologize to the officer and the Glendale Police Department," said the statement on Henson's Instagram. "A mother's job is not easy and neither is a police officer's. Sometimes as humans we overreact without gathering all of the facts. As a mother in this case I overreacted and for that I apologize. Thank you to that officer for being kind to my son. Love, Taraji P. Henson."

Henson's publicist called the department and confirmed that they post came from her, according to Glendale police.

Henson, an Emmy and Academy-award nominated actress, said in an interview with Uptown magazine released this week that her son was racially profiled by police in two different incidents, one in Glendale and one at USC.

The 40-minute video shows Henson’s son, Marcell Johnson, driving through a lit and flashing crosswalk with a woman walking in it. The officer pulls Johnson over and explains why he was stopped.

During the initial interaction, Johnson is asked if he has ever been arrested and if there is anything illegal in the car. Johnson discloses that there is marijuana in his backpack, and tells the officer that he has a medical marijuana prescription.

"I appreciate you being honest with me about the weed. I do appreciate that because I do smell weed," the officer said.

Later during the stop, Johnson also tells the office that he has Ritalin pills that he obtained from a friend in the car. Those are never found during a search of the car.

In the end, the officer issues Johnson a citation for the marijuana, and advises him that he can go to court with his proof of prescription and will then likely only have to pay a fine.

He tells Johnson that the marijuana citation is better than a ticket for illegally running through the crosswalk because it won’t have a lasting effect on his driving record.

"I am not going to give you a citation for running that yellow because that would actually put a moving violation on your driving license, and you are going to have to go to traffic school and all that stuff, so I am helping you by not giving you a violation on it. All I am going to do is take the weed from you," he said.

Johnson was also asked to take a field sobriety test because he admitted he had smoked marijuana two hours before the traffic stop. He passed the sobriety test.

Henson told Uptown magazine that her son was slated to attend USC but that he would now be attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. because she was concerned about the profiling.

The chief of USC's Department of Public Safety said in a statement Tuesday he was racially profiled as a teenager and was “deeply disturbed” to learn that Henson's son felt profiled because of his race.

"As someone who personally experienced racial profiling as a teenager, I have a stake in learning more about this incident and doing all I can to reach a just resolution," he said.

The international bribery scandal that reached the upper echelons of the U.S. Navy now encompasses some 200 subjects, federal prosecutors said Friday.

The detail came out during a federal court hearing for Navy Cmdr. Michael Misiewicz. He is one of many military officials accused of taking bribes from the Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd. and its CEO, Leonard Francis, also known as “Fat Leonard.” In exchange, prosecutors allege Misiewicz diverted U.S. Navy ships to profitable ports for GDMA.

On Friday, Misiewicz's defense attorney requested nearly every record and communication in relation to the Navy’s 7th Fleet over the last decade. Former federal prosecutor Laura Marran said the defense has a right to information from other cases that could be valuable.

“That information could exculpate his client, so what it sounds like to me is that case is going to take a very long to come to its conclusion,” she said.

However, the federal judge asked Misiewicz’s attorney to narrow the scope of his research because of the sheer number of documents involved.

Marran told NBC 7 the more information requested, the more expensive it becomes to hand over.

“Clearly, the government has to think twice if they’re going to have to turn over lots of confidential documents, and it’s going to cost a great deal of money for them to do so, to go through all the documents,” said Marran.

Prosecutors told the defense they would share more than 2,000 pages from the investigation — including hundreds of emails. They explained the far-reaching scandal involves about 200 people, some of whom are accused and others who are witnesses. 

The man at the center of the scandal, Francis, is one of seven who have pleaded guilty to their part in the bribery scheme, defrauding the U.S. of more than $20 million.

Misiewicz has pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

The time period in question started in 2011, when Misiewicz became the deputy operations officer of USS Blue Ridge. In that position, he had influence over operations for the 7th Fleet’s ships.

According to federal documents, Misiewicz used his influence to send Navy vessels to ports in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. There, the military would pay GDMA for services such as security, provisions, refueling and tugboats.

In early 2012, Misiewicz is accused of sending Francis a confidential list of ship schedules from a private Gmail account on three separate occasions. In exchange, Francis gave the military official prostitutes and luxury travel to places like Cambodia.

Misiewicz has denied his involvement in the widespread corruption.

The driver of a vehicle with a message on its rear window that read "We Support Our Local Police Dept" drove the wrong way in traffic and slammed into shopping carts in a parking lot before surrendering to authorities in Anaheim.

Police pursued the stolen car on Orange County freeways and city streets Friday afternoon near Disneyland, officials said. The pursuit began in Buena Park, said the California Highway Patrol.

The Toyota Corolla was rammed by a police car in a shopping center's parking lot, but evaded immediate capture. The vehicle slammed through shopping carts before exiting back onto the street.

After racing through red traffic lights and making a U-turn around a street median, the driver and passengers surrendered in the middle of a street just after 1 p.m.

The man who authorities said killed a San Jose police officer suffered from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, depression and alcoholism, according to his niece, Amber Golart.

Scott Dunham died from a gunshot wound suffered from a shootout with police late Tuesday that left veteran Officer Michael Johnson dead.

Golart attended a memorial for Johnson held late Friday on Senter Road. More than 100 people showed up to the vigil held near the scene of the fatal shooting.

"We are sorry for the loss of the officer. This is a tragic accident," Golart said. "No one meant for this to take place. But as a family, we feel like we're caught in the middle. We're mourning for the officer, but we're mourning for our uncle."

Golart added the last few days have been also hard for the Dunham family, especially knowing it was a loved one who took an officer's life. Dunham's family is calling Tuesday's incident suicide by cop.

Another memorial for Johnson was held Friday night in the courtyard at San Jose City Hall and was hosted by Star of David Ministries and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association.

“We have suffered a very devastating loss to our community, and we need to show officer Johnson’s family and the SJPD that we support them, “ said Kathleen Flynn, president of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association.

A formal memorial service for Johnson will be held April 2 at 11 a.m. at the SAP Center at San Jose

In addition, Owen Nolan, a former San Jose Shark who is a part owner of the Brittania Arms, is hosting a fundraiser April 2 at the restaurant, located at 5027 Almaden Expressway.

Also, the San Jose Police Officers’ Association is helping raise fund to provide financial assistance to his family.

The 38-year-old Johnson was killed on Tuesday when he arrived at an apartment building after a caller told 911 that Dunham was drunk and despondent and was threatening to harm his wife. When Johnson arrived, Dunham killed him from his balcony with a high-powered rifle.

Dunham's body was found Wednesday morning on the balcony. He had died of a gunshot wound, police said.

Checks can be mailed payable to the SJPOACF at: 1151 N. 4th St., San Jose, CA 95112 or online.

Lisa Fernandez contributed to this report.

The body of a San Diego State student was found Friday afternoon in Lake Murray, a day after the student disappeared there.

The body was found in 60-foot deep water with one-foot visibility, officials said.

For the first time, search teams were using unmanned controlled sonar devices as they looked for the student who disappeared at Lake Murray in La Mesa on Thursday morning.

The search began after park rangers found a backpack and a cellphone next to the lake shore, officials said.

Search-and-rescue teams used underwater high-tech devices, called Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, owned by local company Orca Maritime. They sent back sonar images of what is under the water.

One of those vehicles found the student's body, so crews sent in a bomb squad's robotic device to attach a line to it. That line guided divers to the student.

The sonar units send back images of unusual shadows that could detect evidence of the missing student.

Rescue teams from at least six different county agencies helped with the search since Thursday morning.

Police told NBC 7 the body does not appear to be a part of a crime scene.

A rabid bat was discovered at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and county health officials are looking for anyone who may have had contact with it.

The bat was first spotted at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday near a walkway across from the Red River Hogs in Nairobi Village at the park.

It was found dead five hours later on a public walkway outside the Hidden Jungle, between the Gorilla Forest and African Woods.

Staffers collected the bat, which was not a park animal, and gave it over to county health officials. A testing confirmed the animal had rabies.

Health officials have no information on anyone having contact with the bat, but want to ensure the animal didn’t expose anyone to rabies.

While rabies in humans is potentially fatal, anyone who did not have direct contact with the bat is not at risk for rabies, officials said.

Anyone at the park on Wednesday and directly handled the bat is asked to call San Diego Health and Human Services at 619-692-8499.

A spring break party in Panama City Beach, Florida, turned violent early Saturday morning after police said seven people, including students, were shot.

Gunshots rang out at the house party around 1 a.m., according to NBC affiliate WJHG. Bay County Sheriff spokeswoman Ruth Curley told NBC News that some of the victims are students at Alabama A&M University who were visiting the area for spring break.

Officials said 22-year-old David Jamichael Daniels of Mobile, Alabama, was arrested after police set up a perimeter. Daniels is being held at the Bay County Jail on seven counts of attempted murder.

Curley said police recovered a .40-caliber handgun in the backyard of a nearby home.

Deputies responding to the scene found three victims shot in the street, one outside the house, and three others inside.

Police identified the victims who were visting from Mobile, Alabama, as 20-year-old Kearria Freed; 22-year-old Henton Franklin; and 22-year-old Tykeria Ethridge. Freed was shot in the head and remains in critical condition, Curley said, while Franklin was shot in the side and Ethridge was shot in the neck and shoulder.

Police identified the remaining victims as 21-year-old Devanta Moore, who was shot in the chest; 20-year-old Anesia Powell, who was shot in the left arm, chest, and knee; 22-year-old Jacole Young, who was shot in the back; and 21-year-old Kelli Curry, who was shot in the leg.

All of the victims were transported to area hospitals. Freed, Franklin and Moore are in critical condition, Curley said, while the others remain in stable condition.

Seven people, including three children, were injured in a multi-car crash on northbound Interstate 15 in Rancho Peñasquitos Friday night.

The collision started at 9:45 p.m. near State Route 56. Seven people were hurt in the crash, and one suffered major trauma, according to San Diego Fire officials. It's unclear how badly the three children involved were injured.

The California Highway Patrol said one lane was blocked, and the I-15 connector from SR-56 was closed down for a time.

The woman suspected of barricading 14 students into a classroom and fighting staff was experiencing a mental breakdown, her sister told NBC 7 Friday.

Linda Lira, 31, was taken to the hospital Wednesday evening after some strange behavior at Lemon Grove Academy. The after-care assistant locked herself in a room with the students, ranging in age from nine to 11 years old.

When staff intervened, Lira fought them, undressed and dressed again, upended desks and threw things around the room, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

The suspect’s sister, Cathy Lira, said she had never seen that kind of behavior from Lira before, though she had been making some strange comments recently.

"She did start talking about like Lucifer. She had like three days like that, just mentioning that and some warriors were protecting her,” said Cathy, “but we were like, maybe she's just changing religion, that they're just putting this in her head?”

Deputies who responded to the school thought Lira was on drugs, so they told Cathy and her family to pick the woman up at the hospital and get her some help. They gave her a citation for being under the influence.

But the sister said doctors discovered Lira had no drugs in her system. “She was clean. She was just having a mental meltdown,” said Cathy.

Officials allowed the suspect to go home with her family to rest for the night. According to Cathy, Lira did not remember the incident the next morning.

She planned to return to the school to pick up her purse, which was left behind in the scuffle. But when Lira arrived on campus, deputies were waiting to take her into custody Thursday. The arrest came as a complete surprise to her family.

“They didn’t tell us nothing. They just told us to get help for her. That’s all they did,” said Cathy.

Lira is being held at Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility for 28 counts of felony child endangerment and false imprisonment. Her bail is $2.1 million.

Her sister is still trying to understand what happened and what caused her to break down. She fears Lira will not get the help she needs behind bars.

"I can say from everything, she's the best aunt to my daughter,” said Cathy through tears. “That was her baby too. That's why I know she would not have done that to those kids."

Lira has declined an interview request from NBC 7. She is scheduled to be arraigned on March 30.

At Lemon Grove Academy, administrators gathered parents of all the victims and told them what happened Wednesday. They also brought counselors to campus in case students needed to talk about the incident.

“Even as a parent, you’re still scared. You’re still concerned because they have these episodes and sometimes it could hurt children or staff or other people,” said Veronica Valle, whose child goes to the school.

Emergency workers continued searching Saturday for at least two people still missing after an apparent gas line explosion leveled three Manhattan apartment buildings while investigators piece together what exactly caused the blast that injured 22.

Authorities are investigating whether the gas line in a basement below a sushi restaurant was rigged in a possible gas-theft scheme, causing the leak that may have set off Thursday's fiery blast that leveled three buildings in the East Village.

"There is a possibility here that the gas line was inappropriately accessed internally by people in the building," but officials need to get access to the wreckage to explore it further, Mayor de Blasio said during a press conference Friday. He wouldn't say more about why officials believe that's a possibility.

Sources familiar with the investigation tell NBC 4 New York that in August inspectors found the gas line in the basement rigged with a rubber hose to circumvent the Con Edison gas meter. This could have saved money and perhaps allowed for gas to flow to some apartments that had not yet been cleared for service. Safety violations were registered and an immediate shut down was ordered until the problem was corrected, the sources said.

No one was charged with any wrongdoing at that time and the case was treated as a safety violation by inspectors, the sources said. Investigators now want to know if a similar gas-theft scheme was being employed again. The investigation is in its beginning stages and nothing has been ruled out, the sources said.

The contractors working on the Sushi Park restaurant did not have permits for gas work, the mayor said Friday.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office has joined the NYPD, fire marshals and building inspectors in the probe into the cause of the explosion that sparked a fire that could smolder for days in the rubble of three buildings that once occupied Second Avenue and E. 7th Street.

About 60 firefighters were still working to put out hot spots on Saturday, and rescue workers with K9 units were on the scene searching for the two missing people. Earlier, Con Ed shut off gas to 187 residential customers and 32 commercial customers in the area while the search and recovery work continued.

Residents of three nearby buildings were still barred from entering, but about 40 apartments in five other buildings were reopened to residents as of Saturday. Some 20 apartments in those buildings were to remain closed until damage could be repaired. Officers were escorting residents into buildings when possible to help them retrieve pets and personal belongings, officials said.

On the day of the explosion, inspectors with Con Ed had been to the East Village building to check on ongoing work to upgrade gas service. The utility said the work didn't pass inspection, so gas wasn't introduced to the line, and inspectors gave instructions and left at around 2:45 p.m. Inspectors didn't smell any gas, Con Ed said.

But at around 3 p.m., the sushi restaurant owner smelled gas and called the landlord, who then called a general contractor, Boyce said. No one called 911 or Con Ed, however, de Blasio said.

The contractor, Dilber Kukic, and the owner's son went into the basement and opened a door, and then the explosion happened, burning their faces, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said.

"The whole area was shaking," said Moishe Perl, who works next door. "We couldn't imagine what was going on."

The building had an existing gas line intended to serve the sushi restaurant; the work underway was to put in a bigger line to serve the entire building, Con Ed President Craig Ivey said. As for whether the apartments were getting gas from the existing line, "That's a great question," he said.

"We'll have to find out, through the investigation, what's going on there," he said.

Con Edison later added in a statement: "As we do in all cases when a customer is upgrading to a new gas service, we conducted careful inspections at 121 2nd Avenue. Our records show the work of the building's plumber failed two inspections, including the inspection our personnel conducted yesterday afternoon. At no time was use of the new service line authorized by Con Edison. That service was locked to ensure that it would not be used. The ground-floor restaurant was being served by its current, smaller gas service line."

Calls to the building owner were unanswered. The owner's son reached by phone in his hospital room declined to comment. The listed contractor did not return messages. A subcontractor hired to handle gas lines did not return calls for comment.

City records show the contractor, Dilber Kukic, got a permit last June for plumbing, flooring, removing partition walls and other work at the building.

Kukic had tried to help people escape the explosion and had been helpful to authorities, Boyce said.

The contractor -- who's facing unrelated charges of bribing an undercover investigator posing as a housing inspector -- was injured in the blast and declined through his lawyer to comment on the circumstances surrounding the explosion.

Kukic is a relatively minor player in a 50-person bribery case that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. and other authorities unveiled last month. They said city inspectors, landlords and contractors formed a network of graft that exchanged $450,000 in payoffs to get safety violations dismissed, procure phony eviction orders and get fast, favorable and sometimes nonexistent inspections.

Kukic is accused of paying $600 in cash to try to get housing violations dismissed at two upper Manhattan properties he owned. He has pleaded not guilty.

Twenty-two people were injured in the blast, four critically, city officials said Friday. Among the injured were six firefighters. Patients with non-life threatening injuries were continuing to be treated and released from local hospitals.

Some of them had only moments to get out. The residents of the area surrounding the East Village explosion that destroyed three buildings this week ran for their lives. Now they're working to pick up the pieces.

Chelsea Blampied, who lived in one of the leveled buildings, said she'd stopped home to get a work file from her third-floor apartment when she heard and felt the blast.

"I thought a plane crashed into my building. Glass was blown everywhere, and it was just so surreal," she said.

"I just heard a really loud boom," recounted neighbor Justine Miller. "I could feel it in my chest."

Neighbor Troy Hinson was walking to the sushi restaurant when it "literally blew up in front of my face," and said "it really felt like my internal organs were reverberating. It just feels like everything was shaking, including my teeth."

"You just don't know what hit you, it just feels like a sonic boom, there's no real other way to describe it," he said.

Blampied left behind all her belongings and ran through smoke and debris down the stairs to safety as her building began to crumble. She's now staying with friends and is grateful she made it out alive.

"It's so overwhelming. Everyone lost everything," she said.

Blampied was among more than 125 people displaced at least temporarily by the blast. Aside from the three buildings leveled by the explosion, eight more were ordered vacated. As of Saturday, five of those had been partially reopened, and NYPD officers were allowing some other residents to return briefly to their apartments to grab pets and personal items.

At the time of the explosion, Gregory Dohdanowycz was in his top-floor apartment in the building next to where the blast happened.

"I look out the window, and I see two buildings south of me, there's smoke rising from the windows and their roof windows," he said.

He only had time to grab his dog before running outside, and was overwhelmed by the horrific sights and sounds when he got outside.

Neighbor Miller said: "There was blood on the ground. There were people laying up against buildings and other people trying to help them."

Actress Drea de Matteo is among the residents who lost her home and belongings in the explosion. She took to Instagram Thursday to share two dramatic photos of firefighters battling smoke and flames. "A hole where my NYC home of the last 22 years once stood," she wrote in one caption. "RIP 123 2nd Avenue." The photos appeared to be taken from a rooftop across the street.

Naya Jones, who spent the night at the YMCA after being told to leave her building near the blast site, went to the Tompkins Square Library Friday, where the Red Cross and other relief groups were offering financial assistance, food, vouchers and advocacy help.

The Red Cross said it has helped more than 120 people since the blast and gave housing assistance to dozens. The Standard Hotel is giving anyone displaced by the blaze three free nights of lodging. Sprint has also donated 25 cellphones.

The ASPCA is also providing pet supplies for owners in the affected area.

"It's a small community," said Bohdanowycz. "I think everyone is trying to help out when something bad happens."

Hinson, who's lived in the neighborhood four years, said, "I love the sense of community, and everybody comes together and helps each other out and is here for each other."

Several long-standing businesses were also affected by the destruction. Pommes Frites, a favorite spot for fries, was destroyed by the blast, and the nearby Orpheum Theater had to cancel performances of the off-Broadway production of "Stomp."

Robert Seniuk, the chef at Stage restaurant across the street, is determined to get back to work.

"We open, we don't give up. This city is 24 hours," he said.

Nevertheless, the frightening explosion has taken a toll on the psyche of New Yorkers everywhere.

"Yesterday was a very scary day. Now all I can do is think about the people who lost their homes and people who've been living here for decades," said neighbor Adam Mashaal.

Hinson said he had stopped on the corner to say goodbye to his friend just before the sushi restaurant exploded.

"The fact that I was literally - if I didn't stop and talk to my friend, I would possibly be in that building," he said. "That's kind of what's messing me up. ... All these crazy thoughts are going through your head after this happens, like, why me? Why am I safe, why is something again happening to me? It's just crazy. I'm having just a hard time processing it."

Health officials say the air quality in the area has returned to normal levels and that short-term exposure to elevated particulate levels Thursday didn't pose a significant risk to the public. They say the smoke odor may linger, but isn't harmful. Still, those with respiratory or heart problems should remain extra vigilant.

The explosion came a week after the one-year anniversary of the East Harlem explosion that leveled two buildings and killed eight people. The blast also injured dozens of people and left many homeless for months.

Since the 2014 explosion, the FDNY has been given a much greater role in responding to reports of possible gas leaks and New Yorkers are now encouraged to call 911 about gas leaks and odors rather than 311.

Hundreds gathered at Petco Park Saturday to honor San Diego businessman Mike “Bossman” Hardin, owner of the iconic Ocean Beach burger joint, Hodad’s.

A “Celebration of Life” event was held at Petco Park’s Park in the Park in downtown San Diego from 11:11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Hardin – also known as the “unofficial mayor of Ocean Beach” – died of natural causes last month at a Holiday Inn in Chowchilla, California. Officials later confirmed a heart attack led to his passing.

Many that attended the memorial said they had been profoundly moved by Hardin’s generosity. 

Attendee Todd Byrd said he first met Mike when he was a kid.

“I used to sweep the patio for fries when I was a kid and then fast forward twenty years later and he hired me when no one else would give me a job and I worked for him for years,” said Byrd.

Hardin's kindness was what those attending the memorial and those speaking at the memorial recalled most. 

“There are a lot of us here in the crowd that have the same story,” said Byrd. “He gave jobs to people that no one else was really hiring. He was a good guy and he gave back to the community. He’ll be missed.”

San Diegans mourned Hardin’s death, leaving flowers at a makeshift memorial in front of Hodad’s in Ocean Beach last month and posting hundreds of messages online and on NBC 7’s Facebook page.

Others, such as Nick Gray, first met Hardin when they sat down to eat one of his burgers at the iconic Ocean Beach location.

Gray first started eating there 20 years ago and kept coming back, becoming a regular. During that time, he said, got to know Hardin.

“I’ve watched him help guys through college, and give them a steady job, give them a second chances a couple of times and he’s just always just been a steady, dependable guy,” said Gray. 

John Owen, a Navy Chaplain and speaker at the memorial, said Hardin gave back to his community and to the armed forces plenty during his time.

“I consider it one of the greatest joys and privileges of my life to be able to consider Mike a friend,” said Owen.

The crowds gathered on the grass, some sitting cross-legged and others sitting on chairs set out, to listen to the speakers and watch a slideshow of photos from Hardin’s past. The memorial included a special video tribute, musical performances and presentations from Hardin’s loved ones.

Gray said that if Hardin were here today, he would have wanted the people attending to enjoy themselves.

“Look around, at all the different people you can see here today,” Gray said. “That’s what Mike was all about.”

Hardin, who lived in San Diego from 1960 until his passing, took over Hodad’s in the 1980s from his parents. He later expanded the OB burger joint to a second location in downtown San Diego and a third in Petco Park.

Both Hardin and Hodad’s were featured on the popular TV show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” hosted by Guy Fieri.
 

Grab the family, the pastel attire and maybe even the Easter Bunny: fabulous feasts for the holiday are just around the corner and we have your guide to the best bites in town. Spring into these San Diego dining selections from our friends at Yelp and make your reservations ASAP because spots are limited. Happy eating!

Waypoint Public (North Park)
Here comes Peter Cottontail! This family-friendly neighborhood bistro is hosting an Easter brunch on April 5 that’s just as suitable for beer lovers as it is for the egg-hunting tykes. Guests can indulge in chef favorites including Waypoint’s signature Pulled Pork Benny or Breakfast Pot Pie, all while enjoying a selection sips like Waypoint’s LemonAle Shandy or house sangria. The special event kicks off at 10 a.m. with an egg hunt for the kiddos, but the real kicker is that kids eat free during this Easter brunch.

Perfect Pairings (Carlsbad)
Not a morning person? This new(ish) dining experience in Carlsbad Village is offering a special Easter celebration with a 4-course prix-fixe dinner at $49 per person. Chef Aaron Gentry is guaranteed to wow your palate with his farm-to-table focus and proprietor Alex Morrison knows his wine pairings. The treats you’ll find at this unique location will surpass any Easter basket goody. Hop to it: the menu here changes every two weeks.

Kitchen 4140 (Clairemont)
Kitchen 4140 will offer guests a special Easter version of its popular Sunday brunch. Featured dishes will include Smoked Leg of Lamb and a Dry-Aged Prime Rib, amongst other holiday dishes, accompanied by fresh spring produce such as turnips, Swiss chard and heirloom vegetables (many from the restaurant’s newly enhanced garden, which makes up one half of this eatery’s 1,200 square foot garden-patio). Regular brunch items, like the Red Velvet Waffles, will also be offered on the menu.

Pacific Coast Grill (Cardiff-by-the-Sea)
We bet that even the Easter Bunny can’t stay away from North San Diego beach spots like this one, where patrons can hop on over for Sunday brunch by the sea. The favorites from the menu will be served, plus specialty items have been added like the Puerto Buevo Style Lobster. Elevate your Easter dining with the Filet Mignon Breakfast Burrito or Chile-Braised Short Rib Tostada with cabbage slaw, pickled red onions & avocado salsa. The view from this practically-on-the-beach option can’t be beat.

The Torreyana Grille (La Jolla/Golden Triangle)
The kiddies will be delighted with the three Easter egg hunts offered in the gardens, complete with an appearance by the Easter Bunny himself. The Champagne Brunch for the holiday will feature live music, carving stations and more. Located inside The Hilton La Jolla, this dining option includes traditional buffet items abound with dishes like Eggs Benedict, Bourbon Glazed Ham and the famous bread pudding. If your morning isn’t complete without your vegetables, drink up: there’s also a Tito’s Handmade Vodka Bottomless Bloody Mary Bar for an additional $15.95 per person.

Solterra Winery & Kitchen (Leucadia)
The holiday goes from lunch into late night at this urban winery from noon to 10 p.m. on Easter Sunday. The menu will feature specialty items from the chef. Also, forget the Easter egg hunting and track down the wine pairing to compliment your celebration meal. Cold and hot tapas (small plates) are the focus here, like the Patatas Bravas with Spanish crema and the Steamed Clams in a sauce of tomato, chorizo, garlic and white wine. Solterra is committed to Southern California farms only, and also features local beers on tap.
 

Live music, food and crafts will take center stage Sunday at the Rolando Street Fair.

The free community event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Rolando Boulevard between El Cajon Boulevard and Solita Avenue. The streets will be lined with vendors selling food, crafts, art and other goods.

Kids can enjoy activities that include carnival rides, games, face-painting and balloon artists, to name a few.

A full day of live music will entertain the crowds. The lineup includes local bands Sister Speak, Len Rainey and the Midnight Players, the Trey Tosh Band, The Devastators and The Earful.

Organizers say thousands are expected to attend the annual street fair. Parking will be limited, with certain streets closed off to traffic including Rolando Boulevard between Solita Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard, Solita Avenue between Filipo Drive and Rolando Boulevard, and Alamo Drive between El Cajon Boulevard and Solita Drive, and also Shannon Avenue.

If attendees use public transit instead, the bus stop is El Cajon Boulevard/Rolando Boulevard. The nearest trolley stop is the SDSU stop. Bike racks will be provided at the fair on Shannon Avenue.

For more info, click here.
 

A hiker was injured on Cowles Mountain Saturday morning after falling 30 to 45 feet down an embankment, officials said.

The fall happened just after 9 a.m. as the hiker was going down the Climber’s Loop trail on the mountain off Navajo Road.

A San Diego Fire-Rescue dispatcher said the man sustained serious injuries -- including wounds to his arm -- and was taken by helicopter to a local hospital. His current condition is unknown.
 

Hikers visiting the Black Mountain Ranch Open Space Park will have two new trails to pick starting Saturday.

City officials cut the red ribbon near the paths for the Lilac and Ahwee trails in Rancho Penasquitos.

“Oh it's exciting,” said resident Bob Willcox. “Opens up opportunity to go on both sides of the road without going on the road. Just another trail that's fun in itself.”

The two trails connect both sides of Black Mountain Open Space Park and Carmel Valley Road. That will make the trails safer, officials said.

More than 100 community members volunteered more than 1,200 hours to build the new trails.