Staten Island Barge Explosions Kill 1 and Injure 34 Firefighters
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 23
Staten Island Barge Explosions Kill 1 and Injure 34 Firefighters
32 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 23
A second blast at 4:19 p.m. hit firefighters searching a Staten Island barge after an initial explosion at 3:25 p.m., leaving one non-firefighter dead and 34 FDNY members injured.
Firefighters had entered, climbed onto and worked beside the barge in the Arlington shipyard after reports that two workers were trapped inside when the fire broke out.
Two first responders were seriously hurt by the explosion’s energy wave, including a fire marshal who was intubated with a brain injury and head fracture; another firefighter was recovering by Friday evening.
The fire was under control but still burning Friday night, and authorities had not determined how the victim died or what caused the explosions.
With crucial evidence destroyed, can investigators ever truly uncover what caused the Staten Island shipyard explosion?
Do current safety laws prevent shipyard disasters, or just assign blame after they happen?