Central Park firework probably an ‘experiment’

Police have said they do not believe the explosive is tied to terroristic activities and instead think it was the work of a “hobbyist” with a knowledge of chemistry, ABC News reports.

The 19-year-old man, who police did not identify, was walking in the park with two friends when he stepped on a rock covering the explosive. Police and emergency responders took the man on a stretcher from New Yorks Central Park after people near the area reported hearing some kind of explosion.

According to the police, the victim was undergoing surgery and his condition was stable.

A small blast in Central Park in New York City severed a man’s foot on Sunday, police told BuzzFeed News.

Another witness told the New York Daily News the man’s foot was “all but gone”.

The Washington Post is reporting that Connor Golden’s left leg below his knee had to be amputated.

“The Bomb Squad is looking into what made it go off, but we may never know”, said an officer.

An unnamed official told the New York Post that the explosive was in a brown bag and didn’t appear to be created to be pressure-sensitive.

Authorities found no evidence that the explosion was related to terrorism but The New York Times reports President Obama was brief about the incident. “We will provide Connor and his family with complete support through his recovery and rehabilitation”, the statement said.

NYPD Deputy Chief John O’Connell on Sunday declined to even call it an “explosive device”, saying it was probably part of an experiment that may have been left in the park prior to Sunday. At least one bystander in the park told CNN the blast sounded “like a cannon”.

Lt. Mark Torre, commanding officer of the New York Police Department’s bomb squad tells The Associated Press: “The homemade gadget was like an “explosive experiment” that was probably created to ‘make a large noise, maybe make a flash, ‘ concocted by someone with a basic understanding of chemistry”.

According to estimates, the explosive device had been in the park for around a day. They said it appeared that someone may have hidden the material in the park.

He added that “there’s nothing to indicate that this was an explosive device that was placed or put in this area with a specific intent to harm any individuals”.