A total of 34 firefighters and first responders were injured in the fire
Credit: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- One civilian died and 35 people were injured, including FDNY and EMS first responders, after the explosion
- Over 200 first responders and 70 units worked to control the fire, which remains an active investigation scene
- Two first responders remain hospitalized, with one in critical condition and another recovering well under observation
One person died and 35 were injured in a fire and explosion at a shipyard on New York City's Staten Island on Friday, May 22.
During a press conference, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) confirmed that the deceased was a civilian.
"I send my deepest condolences to their loved ones," Mamdani said.
Two of the 36 victims were civilians, while the remainder were first responders with the FDNY and EMS, FDNY Deputy Assistant Ian Swords said.
Two first responders are at Richmond University Medical Center. The pair is suffering from "blast energy" due to being in a confined space, but neither has blast penetrating injuries to their organs, according to FDNY Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Prezant.
The fire marshal has been impacted by the blast. His head sustained a small temporal fracture and a small brain bleed. He has been intubated and is in very critical condition, but stable.
The second hospitalized victim, a firefighter, was in serious condition when he arrived. He is currently doing well and being observed.
Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said the department received multiple phone calls around 3:30 p.m., reporting smoke in the air. Six minutes later, the units arrived at the scene.
"There was a fire in a basement of a 150×150 metal structure in the rear of a shipping dock," Bonsignore said. "We knew that two people were trapped in the basement and there was a fire."
Credit: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty
After first responders arrived, there was an explosion that "caused serious injuries to multiple FDNY members," she said. "This was a very complex situation that put us in a position to really show the skill and the bravery of the FDNY."
FDNY Chief John Esposito confirmed that the department launched search-and-rescue efforts for the two missing people in the confined space.
Mamdani noted that firefighters from all across N.Y.C. responded to the scene with approximately 70 fire and EMS units and more than 200 first responders. "This was a complex, fast-developing emergency situation," he said.
He confirmed that the fire is under control, but it "remains an active fire scene." Mamdani said the FDNY will investigate the cause of the fire once extinguished.
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PEOPLE reached out to the FDNY for comment.
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