A fire and subsequent explosion at a shipyard in Staten Island, New York City, killed one person and injured 36 others, officials said Friday.
The Associated Press reported, citing officials, that most of the injured were firefighters and other first responders, and at least three of them were seriously injured. One civilian was killed in the incident.
A second explosion occurred as a firefighter and a fire marshal entered the building. According to the Associated Press, both men were seriously injured by the blast wave. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
‘Complex, fast-evolving emergency’: Mamdani
New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani called the incident a “complex, rapidly evolving emergency” at a press conference.
It was reported that two workers were trapped in a confined space at the dock at around 3:30 pm (local time) on Friday. When crews arrived at the scene, firefighters found the basement of the dock’s metal structure burning, the AP quoted Joanne Mariano, the fire department’s press office, as saying.
Mariano added that a major explosion occurred about 50 minutes later and crews were still working to control the fire.
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As of the time of this report, the fire was still burning, and emergency crews counted at least 36 injuries at the scene. More than 200 firefighters and emergency medical personnel from 68 units responded to the scene Friday night following the incident, according to the fire department.
Mariano added that they included two firefighters and a civilian who was seriously injured. Two other people suffered moderate injuries and the rest suffered minor injuries. Mariano said first responders were still working to provide a final number of patients, the Associated Press reported.
The marina houses several businesses, including a coffee roasting company and a self-storage facility. The shipyard was formerly owned by Bethlehem Steel, which U.S. Navy According to the Associated Press, during World War II.
New York Attorney General Letitia James posted on “Thank you to the FDNY for their quick response and efforts to protect New Yorkers every day,” she said.
