Sixteen people were injured, including 13 firefighters, in an explosion at a Staten Island dry dock Friday afternoon.
One firefighter is in critical condition and two were seriously injured; one civilian was also seriously injured, according to the FDNY.
The fire department responded about 3:40 p.m. to a fire at dry-docked barge at 3075 Richmond Terrace in Mariners Harbor.
Crews immediately faced a perilous rescue operation, with victims reported to be trapped inside a confined space, according to the fire department.
As the fire intensified, officials called a second alarm at 4:08 p.m. to bring in additional resources.
Just eleven minutes later, a massive explosion rocked barge.
Emergency personnel transported all victims to local hospitals.
The incident triggered a massive emergency response, flooding the area with dozens of FDNY or NYPD vehicles while a helicopter monitored from above.
The city’s NotifyNYC system warned residents to expect heavy traffic delays, road closures, and transit disruptions.
The FDNY HazMat team, the Department of Buildings, and the Department of Environmental Protection are investigating the cause of the blast.
