Explosion at May Ship Dry Dock on Staten Island Kills One, Injures 35 Including 31 Firefighters

An explosion at the May Ship dry dock facility in Mariners Harbor, Staten Island, New York, on May 22 killed one civilian and injured 35 others, including 31 FDNY members, after a fire broke out in a metal dry dock structure with two workers trapped inside.

The fire was reported at approximately 1530 local time in the basement of a 150×150-foot metal structure at the facility on Richmond Terrace. A second alarm was transmitted just after 1600. Eleven minutes later, a major explosion occurred as firefighters were conducting active search operations inside the structure. Two workers had been painting the vessel when the explosion occurred.

One civilian was killed at the scene. A fire marshal suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed and was intubated in critical condition. Over 200 first responders attended the incident.

The city's HazMat unit and Department of Buildings were notified. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.