Explosion At NYC Federal Plaza Caused By Flash Grenade, Officials Say

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — An explosion at New York City's FBI headquarters injured a federal agent Wednesday, a spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio said. It was caused by a flash grenade detonated accidentally outside the 26 Federal Plaza building.

de Blasio's spokesman Eric Phillips confirmed on Twitter that an FBI agent accidentally set off the weapon inside a loading dock at 1:18 p.m. Flash grenades produce a flash of blinding light and a loud bang, but are designed not to be lethal.

Police did not immediately have information, but a spokesman for the city's fire department said one person was transported to a hospital. It was not immediately clear how severe the injuries were.

The New York field office of the FBI did not immediately have information on what happened.

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Lead image credit: Drew Angerer / Staff / Getty Images News.