VIDEOS: The careless disposal of a cigarette butt is being blamed for causing a fiery explosion in the Bronx that left seven firefighters injured on Wednesday night, according to FDNY officials.
An investigation by FDNY Fire Marshalls determined that the cigarette butt caused a trash fire which spread to a nearby vehicle, igniting its gas tank and causing an explosion, officials said on Thursday evening.
Two of the seven injured firefighters are still recovering in the hospital one day later and new surveillance video revealed clues hinting at the cause.
Video shows a cigarette tossed by someone in a group hanging out on a nearby stoop roll toward the garbage. A few minutes later, flames were barely visible before one person went over to look.
The trash was stacked high enough to reach the parked cars due to no DSNY collection on Election Day on Tuesday.
WABC-TV ABC 7 New York City