One person was killed and at least 36 others were injured, including firefighters and paramedics, after a fire led to two explosions at a New York City shipyard on Friday, officials said.
Authorities described the incident as a “complex and rapidly evolving emergency” as crews battled the flames late at night.The fire broke out at around 3.30pm (local time) in a 150ft by 150ft metal structure located at the back of the shipyard. Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said emergency services arrived at the scene within six minutes after several callers reported smoke and two workers trapped in the basement.Shortly after firefighters arrived, the first explosion occurred in the building, injuring a number of fire department personnel and civilians. A civilian was declared dead at the scene.A second explosion occurred while five firefighters and rescue paramedics were searching for workers trapped in and around the building, according to department Chief John Esposito. The explosion caused more injuries, the most serious of which was a firefighter and a fire guard who were inside the building when the shock wave hit.
The fire chief remains in critical but stable condition with a fractured skull and minor bleeding on the brain, Dr. David Prizant, the fire department’s chief medical officer, said, according to the Associated Press. He added that doctors are monitoring him closely for possible brain swelling in the next 24 hours.The injured firefighter was initially listed in serious condition but was “doing very well” by Friday evening and remained under observation for possible muscle injuries, Prezant said.
“This was a complex and rapidly evolving emergency situation,” New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani told reporters during an evening news conference.More than 200 firefighters continued to work at the scene Friday night, as the fire remained under control but was not completely extinguished. Officials said a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire and explosions would begin once the area was secured.Eyewitness Richard Ovigor told local station WABC-TV that he heard two explosions followed by what sounded like a “large shock wave.”The shipyard area is home to several businesses, including a coffee roasting facility and a self-storage company. The site was formerly owned by Bethlehem Steel, which built ships for the U.S. Navy during World War II.