Months after explosion at Bronx NYCHA building, gas service still has not been restored. How tenants are handling Thanksgiving.

Nearly two months after a boiler exploded at a NYCHA complex in the Bronx, people who live at the Mitchel Houses still don’t have cooking gas.

Some tenants spoke about how they’re handling adversity on Thanksgiving.

“It’s really, really hard cooking on the one single hot plate”

The holiday looked different for resident Lulu Ellington and her son, Arian, this year.

“These chickens that we’re doing now, I have to take it to my sister’s house to bake it,” resident Lulu Ellington said. “It’s very complicated, hard cooking without gas.”

The explosion occurred at about 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2025, on Alexander Avenue near E. 138th Street, which is part of the New York City Housing Authority’s Mitchel Houses in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. 

Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

That’s because her building is still without gas after the boiler room exploded and part of the Mitchell Houses came crumbling down on Oct. 1. Residents said they’re just trying to make the best of the holidays this year.

“The turkey is, right now, at in my sister’s house cooking and then we’re transferring food over here and making the best out of it, but it’s really, really hard cooking on the one single hot plate that they gave us,” Ellington said.

Some tenants say NYCHA has dropped the ball

Tenant Fatina Meade said she does not feel NYCHA has helped residents enough during this time.

“They gave us $15 gift cards per person in a household for a meal. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with that. I don’t know where I’m supposed to get a meal like that,” Meade said.

They also said they still relive that scary day at the beginning of October.

“When I looked up, there was a black cloud and I’m like, ‘Oh my god.’ The building started collapsing,” Meade said.

What about upcoming holidays?

With the end-of-year holidays just around the corner, families have not been given a clear timeline on when gas service will be restored.

“And still having to pay rent and other types of bills is really, really hard,” Ellington said. “My hopes went down a lot after the collapse happened when it came to Thanksgiving, so I’m actually traveling for Christmas Because I can’t host Christmas here, either.”

In a statement, NYCHA said, “Gas restoration work at Mitchel Houses is ongoing. Each year, to facilitate Thanksgiving meals, NYCHA distributes gift cards to households at developments impacted by service disruptions, including those affected by gas outages.”