Explosion at Staten Island dry dock leaves 1 dead, 36 injured

An explosion at a dry dock in New York City's Staten Island killed one person and injured 36 others on ‌Friday, as the blast occurred while firefighters were on the scene responding to a basement fire and attempting to ​rescue two people who were trapped, ​officials said.

Two firefighters were hospitalized, including a fire marshal who suffered a fractured ​temple and a brain bleed ⁠and was intubated, officials ⁠said. The ‌other firefighter was in serious condition but had shown improvement, officials said.

"This was a complex, fast-developing emergency situation," New York Mayor ⁠Zohran Mamdani told reporters.

"First responders did what they always do: they ran towards danger so others ‌could escape to safety."

Officials did not provide details about the person who died except to say it was a civilian.

A ​comprehensive investigation will begin once the fire was completely ⁠extinguished, Mamdani said.

The incident took ​place in ⁠the Richmond Terrace section of the borough of Staten Island, a part of New York City that is across the harbour from Manhattan.