New York City
A 66-year-old physician is suspected of intentionally causing a gas explosion that leveled his four-story town house on Manhattan’s Upper East Side this week. Police say Dr. Nicholas Bartha apparently opened a natural-gas valve in the basement of his building and ignited the fumes; the ensuing explosion brought down the house, badly burning Bartha and injuring a handful of passersby. Last week, Bartha was ordered to vacate and sell the $9 million house, to finance a $4 million divorce settlement. Just hours before the explosion, Bartha sent a rambling, 14-page e-mail to his ex-wife, with copies to New York Gov. George Pataki and other officials. “You will be transformed from gold digger to ash and rubbish digger,” he wrote. “You always wanted me to sell the house. I always told you I will leave the house only if I am dead.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What does the Le Pen verdict mean for the future of French politics?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Convicted of embezzlement and slapped with a five year ban on running for public office, where does arch-conservative Marine Le Pen go from here — and will the movement she leads follow?
-
Discount stores were thriving. How did they stumble?The Explainer Blame Walmart — and inflation
-
Kaja Kallas: the EU's new chief diplomat shaping the future of European defenseIn the Spotlight Former Estonian Prime Minister's status as an uncompromising Russia hawk has gone from liability to strength
