Seven New York City firefighters were injured Wednesday evening after a car exploded while they were battling a fire in the Bronx, officials said.
The explosion happened around 7 p.m. on Westchester Avenue, near Intervale Avenue in Longwood, according to the FDNY.
Firefighters were responding to a blaze that had engulfed several piles of trash and parked cars when one of the vehicles suddenly exploded, sending a fireball into the sky.
What You Need To Know
Seven firefighters were injured Wednesday evening in the Bronx after a car exploded while they were responding to a trash fire
Five firefighters suffered serious burns to their hands and faces; three were admitted to Jacobi Hospital
All injured firefighters are expected to recover, and their injuries are considered serious but not life-threatening
FDNY fire marshals are investigating the cause of the fire and reviewing surveillance footage from the scene
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said seven firefighters were hurt in the blast, with five of them suffering burns to their hands and faces. Three of those firefighters were admitted to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, where they were treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries, he said.
“Our firefighters are awake, alert and speaking, but they have some serious burns,” Esposito said. “With quick action by our Emergency Medical Service, they were transported here to Jacobi, and it’s been great work by Jacobi Hospital emergency folks and in the trauma and burn center.”
Dr. Sheldon Teperman, director of Jacobi’s trauma center, said all seven firefighters are expected to recover.
“A wall of fire came on them and surrounded them, and what they were concerned about is their colleagues and their families,” Teperman said. “There’s a reason I refer to [firefighters] as New York’s Bravest.”
Video from the scene shows the moment the car exploded, with flames shooting high into the air as people ran from the area. Witnesses told NY1 they heard multiple blasts and saw nearby trees and trash piles catch fire.
“The car was already in flames and the tree on the sidewalk was already in flames, the garbage was in flames already, and there was like three explosions,” one witness said.
Fire marshals are reviewing surveillance footage to determine what caused the fire. The blaze was brought under control shortly after 8 p.m., officials said.