Overview
- The blast occurred during a basement fire at a dry dock on Richmond Terrace while firefighters were responding to reports of workers trapped in a confined space, with the incident unfolding Friday afternoon.
- Officials confirmed one civilian death and roughly 30 to 36 people injured, most of them FDNY members, including a fire marshal in critical condition and other firefighters with serious injuries.
- A major explosion happened about 50 minutes after the initial call while crews were conducting searches and suppression, producing a powerful shock wave that wounded many on scene.
- The FDNY deployed more than 200 fire and EMS personnel from dozens of units and notified city HazMat, the Department of Buildings and the Department of Environmental Protection to join the probe.
- Investigators will examine what caused the fire and explosion and will review confined-space work practices and site safety at the historic shipyard, with regulators expected to inspect hazardous materials storage and code compliance once the scene is safe.