A devastating incident unfolded at a Staten Island shipyard in New York City on Friday, when a fire on a moored barge escalated into a damaging explosion that left 16 people injured, multiple first responders among the casualties. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) confirmed that three individuals – two firefighters and one civilian – are in serious condition after being urgently transported to area medical facilities for treatment. Alongside the three critical cases, 11 other firefighters and two emergency services personnel also sustained injuries in the event, FDNY officials added.
Emergency dispatchers received the first report of a fire and trapped workers at the dockside site at approximately 3:30 p.m. local time, according to official records. Around 50 minutes after the initial blaze was reported, a sudden explosion tore through the barge, forcing incident commanders to call in additional emergency resources to the scene, which is located on Staten Island – a New York City borough accessible via ferry from Manhattan, positioned southwest of the borough.
Joanne Mariano, a representative from FDNY’s press office, told the Associated Press that two workers were initially reported trapped in a confined space on the vessel as fire spread through the structure. When first responders arrived to tackle the emergency, they pinpointed the origin of the fire in the basement of a metal outbuilding at the dock.
As of Friday, investigators have not yet determined the root cause of the fire and subsequent explosion. Local officials have also warned residents and commuters that the incident response will lead to extended road closures and significant traffic disruptions in the surrounding area in the coming hours.