A fire at a Staten Island shipyard sparked two explosions on Friday afternoon, killing one person and injuring at least 36 others, including many firefighters and first responders.
New York City went still—then loud—on Friday afternoon at a Staten Island shipyard as smoke poured into the sky and two explosions rocked nearby businesses.
Emergency crews rushed in after calls around 3:30 p.m. reported smoke and two workers trapped inside the building’s basement. The situation moved fast, and officials later confirmed the full toll: one person dead and at least 36 others injured.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the chaos during an evening press conference, as residents tried to understand how a fire turned into a deadly double blast.
Officials say a fire sparked the explosions inside a massive metal structure at the shipyard. Most of those injured were firefighters and first responders who rushed to the scene after the 3:30 p.m. reports. Crews reportedly arrived within six minutes. but the first explosion erupted shortly afterward. seriously injuring several FDNY members and civilians nearby.
“This was a complex, fast-developing emergency situation,” Mamdani said during a Friday evening news conference.
The emergency worsened again during active search and rescue. Officials say a second explosion hit while firefighters and rescue paramedics were searching for the trapped workers. Five emergency responders were reportedly positioned inside, on top of, and near the structure when the blast happened.
The blast’s shock wave struck a firefighter and a fire marshal inside the structure, leaving both with some of the most severe injuries.
FDNY Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Prezant said the injured fire marshal remains in critical but stable condition after suffering a fractured skull and a small brain bleed. Doctors initially listed the firefighter injured in the blast in serious condition. but he improved and was doing much better by Friday evening.
More than 200 firefighters remained on-site Friday night as crews continued battling the fire. Investigators prepared to determine what caused the explosions.
Witnesses described hearing two loud blasts, followed by a massive shock wave that rattled nearby buildings. The shipyard area is surrounded by businesses, including a coffee roasting company and storage facilities.
The shipyard also traces its history back to the Bethlehem Steel Company, which built Navy ships during World War II.
Staten Island shipyard fire FDNY Zohran Mamdani explosions New York City firefighters injured Bethlehem Steel shipyard