One person is dead and two others injured after a boat exploded on the Hudson River during New York City’s Fleet Week on Saturday morning.
The vessel blew up at the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant near West 138th Street around 10.30am. The deceased person, a 59-year-old male, was a worker on the barge, according to a New York Police Department spokesperson.
In a statement posted to X, the U.S. Coast Guard said the incident was linked to “hot work” aboard a docked boat.
Rescue boats rushed to the scene to rescue a man overboard who was pinned between a dock and a boat and another individual. The two injured people sustained minor injuries.
Hazmat crews later worked to decontaminate the barge and assess methane levels.
The Independent has contacted the New York City Fire Department for information.
The incident comes days after a Mexican navy sailboat crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, leaving two dead and 19 injured.
The city’s Fleet Week began on Wednesday and will run through Tuesday.
This year’s theme is “Honoring the Past, Defending the Future: 250 Years of Sea Service Excellence.” The event offers members of the public a chance to meet U.S. Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and observe the latest developments in military technology.
“This year’s Fleet Week New York is especially meaningful as we commemorate our Navy’s 250 years of maritime excellence and unwavering commitment to freedom and global security,” Commander of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Rear Admiral Carl Lahti, said in a release.
