The incident began with a fire around 3:30 p.m., followed by an explosion approximately an hour later as crews battled the blaze.
Among the injured were 34 first responders, including a fire marshal who sustained critical head and brain injuries from the blast energy and is under close medical observation, and a firefighter who was seriously injured but is recovering well.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani offered condolences to the deceased civilian’s family and commended the bravery and service of the first responders involved.
Over 200 first responders from various agencies, including FDNY, Hazmat, and NYPD, responded to the scene, and while the fire was brought under control, the cause remains under investigation.
