Roughly a month after a building collapsed in Philadelphia that resulted in six deaths, a similar incident occurred in New York City Thursday. Rather than an incompetent demolition crew, however, this time the culprit appears to have been improperly used roach "bombs" and shoddy building management.

The building collapse happened just after noon on Friday on 17 Pike St. in Chinatown at the Piao Liang Ren Sheng Beauty Salon. A resident of the building, Wang Xiao, says that she had put out 24 roach bombs on Wednesday, and when that didn't work, put 24 more out on Thursday.

"I was sitting down watching TV when I heard what sounded like a bomb. I thought the roof was falling down, and I yelled, 'Oh, s--t,' " recalled John Sua, 24, manager of Brothers Bus Line.

It is believed that the improper use of the roach bombs triggered an explosion when aerosol from the canister was ignited on a pilot light. The combined force of all of the roach bombs going off took out a load-bearing wall, which in turn led to a partial collapse of the building.

"It felt like an earthquake shaking the building. The wall was cracking behind me," said Tsz Kan Cheung, who was eating lunch in Unit 4D. "I saw one woman run out after me. The skin in her leg was gone. She just sat on the street outside, and when I asked her how she was, she couldn't talk."

So far reports are still coming in, but it is not believed that anyone was killed in the collapse. In total, 12 people have been reported injured, several of whom are still in critical condition. Among the injured, four were firefighters who responded to the collapse.

The building was seventy years old and by all accounts, was in poor condition at the time of collapse. Authorities have already stated that the building owners had received multiple citations for its maintenance, and it seems likely that the building's dilapidated state played a role in the collapse.

"We did have existing codes violations for this building. We're looking into them," said FDNY Assistant Chief Robert Boyce. In 2009 the building owners were cited for working without a permit and fialing to maintain the building.