A massive explosion rocked a busy warf in Staten Island Friday, killing one person and leaving 36 injured, mostly first responders, including two FDNY members who had to be hospitalized with serious injuries, officials said.
The explosion at 3075 Richmond Terrace in Mariners Harbor — which is the address of a ship company called May Ship Repair — happened at about 4:20 p.m., after fire crews had been battling a blaze in a building for about an hour.
“I ask every New Yorker to keep those injured — and their families — in your thoughts,” Mayor Mamdani said in a statement on X.
The massive blaze injured more than a dozen people. FNTV
The fire occurred in a shipyard in Mariner’s Terrace. FNTV“To the first responders who rushed toward danger without hesitation: thank you.”
One FDNY fire marshal, identified as Fire Marshal Cucher, was in critical but stable condition with a small brain bleed and a temporal fracture, while one firefighter was in serious but stable condition, Mayor Mamdani announced late Friday.
The dead civilian was not identified.
“We mourn the life that was lost today, and we hold their family in our hearts,” Mamdani wrote on X.
The blast ultimately resulted in injuries to 31 firefighters, four EMS personnel, and one additional civilian, officials said.
Officials said the FDNY first started battling the blaze at about 3:27 p.m., after it started in a 150-by-150 foot structure on the waterfront site.
Crews immediately faced a perilous rescue operation, with two workers reported to be trapped inside a confined space, according to the fire department.
As the fire intensified, officials called a second alarm at 4:08 p.m. to bring in additional resources, drawing a total of 70 units and 200 fire and EMS personnel to the scene.
A massive explosion rang out as firefighters attempted to get control of hte blaze. FNTVJust eleven minutes later, a massive explosion rocked the barge while crews were actively conducting searches.
Emergency personnel transported victims to local hospitals, including Staten Island University Hospital and Richmond University Medical Center. The fire was brought under control at 7:20 p.m.
The FDNY HazMat team, the Department of Buildings, and the Department of Environmental Protection are investigating the cause of the blast.
