One dead and two injured in New York boat explosion during Fleet Week — Incident follows recent Brooklyn Bridge crash
The boat explosion occurred on the Hudson River near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant on May 24, just days after a fatal ship crash at the Brooklyn Bridge.
One man was killed and two others were injured in what appears to be a boat explosion in New York City's Hudson River during Fleet Week on Saturday, May 24. The boat exploded at about 10:30 a.m. local time, near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the area near West 138th Street. According to reports emitting from the boat, it was an abandoned boat operated by New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, which is used to haul raw sewage to wastewater treatment plants.
First responders stated to WNBC-TV and The New York Post that they responded to a call for a person in the water. Upon arrival, they found an explosion had blown the hull of the boat off. There were three men on the scene - two men who had been injured working on the abandoned boat were taken to the hospital - the severity of their injuries was unknown. The third man was a 59-year-old, who was tossed into the water and did not escape between the boat and the pier, and was dead at the scene.
Investigation underway, cause still unknown
Authorities from both The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and the New York Police Department (NYPD) are currently investigating the explosion. Officials have not confirmed whether the explosion was accidental or intentional. The Daily Mail and The Post featured images of emergency personnel on the scene, consisting of FDNY vehicles, rescue boats, and helicopters hovering over the water.
The boat that exploded is used to deliver untreated sewage from various locations in the city to the treatment plant. The explosion took place while the boat was docked near the plant, there were no other boats involved in the explosion. No other comments have come from the NYPD or FDNY regarding the continuing investigation.
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Incident follows recent deadly Brooklyn Bridge crash
This explosion happened just a week after a previous and horrible maritime incident in New York City. On May 17, a Mexican Navy ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Two people died, and more than a dozen were injured. The ship, which had just departed Pier 17 with 277 people on board, lost power and drifted into the bridge.
According to NYPD Special Operations Division Chief Wilson Aramboles, the Navy ship was headed to Iceland at the time of the incident when it suffered a mechanical failure. Following the crash, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said that inspectors did not find any major structural damage to the Brooklyn Bridge after a preliminary inspection.
Both incidents have been and will continue to be monitored by the authorities as part of a larger assessment of safety parameters for marine activity across the New York City area.
