Investigators Probe Staten Island Shipyard Blast That Killed 1 and Injured Over 30 Responders
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 23
Investigators Probe Staten Island Shipyard Blast That Killed 1 and Injured Over 30 Responders
14 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 23
Saturday investigators searched a Staten Island shipyard for the cause of Friday’s fire and explosion that killed one civilian and injured more than 30 firefighters and other first responders.
Around 3:30 p.m. Friday, crews were sent to reports of fire, heavy smoke and two workers trapped in a basement; less than an hour later, an explosion struck as firefighters and EMS were operating inside.
Two firefighters were seriously hurt by the blast wave, including fire marshal Christopher Cuccaro, who suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed and was listed in critical but stable condition.
Authorities said 29 firefighters and four EMS workers had minor to moderate injuries, while another civilian was wounded; about 200 firefighters and emergency personnel responded.
The blast occurred in a 150-foot-by-150-foot metal structure at the back of the Mariners Harbor shipyard, a former Bethlehem Steel site with nearby commercial businesses.
With a new safety program active, why did this shipyard explosion injure over 30 New York first responders?
What hidden danger turned a shipyard fire into a double explosion, killing one and injuring dozens of rescuers?