NEW YORK — At least 16 people sustained injuries, three of them serious, when an explosion and fire erupted at a shipyard facility on Staten Island Friday afternoon, according to the New York Fire Department.
The incident began around 3:30 p.m. Friday when someone called to report two workers stuck in a confined area at the dock, according to Joanne Mariano from the fire department’s press office. When firefighters arrived, they discovered flames burning in the lower level of a large metal building at the dock location.
While emergency crews were battling the blaze, a significant explosion happened at the location approximately 50 minutes after their arrival, Mariano explained.
By 5 p.m., emergency personnel had documented 16 injured individuals at the scene, Mariano reported. Among those seriously hurt were two firefighters and one civilian. Two other firefighters suffered moderate injuries, while the remaining victims had minor injuries. Two emergency medical workers were also among those with minor injuries.
Officials were still working to confirm the final number of patients, Mariano noted.
More than 200 firefighters and emergency medical staff from 68 different units responded to the scene Friday evening, according to Mariano. Authorities continue to investigate what caused the fire and explosion.
Richard Oviogor, who was nearby during the incident, spoke to WABC-TV about hearing two explosions and what felt like a “big shock wave.”
The location houses multiple businesses, including a coffee roasting operation and a self-storage business. The shipyard was previously operated by the Bethlehem Steel Company, which constructed vessels for the U.S. Navy during World War II.
