Explosion tears through Staten Island shipyard, leaving one dead and 34 firefighters and EMS workers injured

A powerful explosion followed by a fire at a Staten Island shipyard in New York, left one civilian dead and 34 firefighters and emergency medical workers injured Friday, the city's Fire Department (FDNY) said.

FDNY Deputy Chief of Emergency Medical Services Ian Swords confirmed at a press conference that one person died at the scene and 34 personnel were transported to hospitals. The two most seriously injured are a fire inspector, in critical condition with a fracture and minor brain bleeding, and a firefighter in serious condition. Both suffered injuries from the energy of the detonation, according to Richmond University Medical Center.

The operation began at 3:27 p.m. local time when authorities received a call for workers trapped in a confined space at 3075 Richmond Terrace. Upon arrival, responders found smoke and fire in the basement of a metal building at the rear of the docks, and went inside to search for two workers. After a second alarm at 4:08 p. m., a "major explosion" rocked the site just eleven minutes later, according to the head of the FDNY, John Esposito.

The explosion sparked a large fire that forced the deployment of 68 units and 212 personnel. Esposito said firefighters were searching inside the building and on a barge when the explosion occurred, and that no people were unaccounted for.

The mayor Zohran Mamdani reported after 21:00 local time that the fire was under control and regretted the death of the victim. FDNY inspectors will open an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.