A blast and fire at a Staten Island shipyard Friday left one civilian dead and dozens injured, officials said, after emergency crews responding to a basement fire were struck by an explosion.
The blaze began about 3:30 p.m. in the basement of a metal structure behind a shipping dock in the Mariners Harbor neighborhood on Richmond Terrace between Lockman and Andros avenues, FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said. Responders were told two workers were trapped in the confined space, and crews entered to search and rescue.
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said an explosion occurred while firefighters were conducting search, rescue and firefighting operations, injuring multiple personnel inside and around the structure. One civilian died at the scene; a second civilian was seriously hurt. At least 34 members of the FDNY were injured, including a fire marshal in critical condition and a firefighter listed as serious.
Over 200 first responders were dispatched and the incident quickly escalated to a two-alarm fire. The department brought the blaze under control around 7:20 p.m., and all injured were transported to area hospitals.
The fire marshal suffered head trauma — including a small fracture and a brain bleed — and was intubated, officials said. The firefighter who arrived at the hospital in serious condition was reported as doing better Friday evening and remained under observation for possible muscle and blast-related injuries. A hospital physician explained that blast energy in confined spaces can cause internal damage without visible external wounds, but doctors said the two firefighters did not show signs of penetrating organ injury.
Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion. Local residents said they were startled as they drove by the scene.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the first responders for rushing toward danger so others could escape and asked New Yorkers to keep the injured and their families in their thoughts. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella urged unity and prayers for recovery while commending the city’s firefighters and EMS. Governor Kathy Hochul said state agencies were coordinating with city officials as investigators work to determine the cause.
Authorities have not yet determined what triggered the fire or the subsequent explosion. Officials warned that confined-space fires are particularly hazardous for rescuers, and the FDNY said the blast is under active investigation.
The victim who died has not been publicly identified. An investigation by fire marshals and other agencies is ongoing, and officials said they will release more information as it becomes available.