An embittered doctor suspected of blowing up his Manhattan town house so his ex-wife could not benefit from its sale has died, leaving investigators’ questions unanswered about the massive explosion that levelled the building.

Fire officials in New York are investigating whether a suicidal doctor who was going through a difficult divorce caused an explosion that flattened a four-storey building in the city today.

A four-story building in New York went up in flames and collapsed today after a thunderous explosion that rocked the nearby neighbourhood.