| FOR LEADERS: Get your department mission ready\u2014every responder, every time<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe fire started in the trash (outside an apartment building) and it spread under the car,\u201d Frank Rojas, 26, an Amazon delivery driver who witnessed the eruption told the Daily News. \u201cThe car popped. There was at least two explosions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first popping was from the trash and the second \u2026 explosion was the car,\u201d he said. \u201cThe flames flew way up. It was a fireball.\u201d<\/p>\n Three vehicles were damaged in the blaze \u2014 including a firetruck that was responding to the eruption, Rojas said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s my work van right there. It blew up like something from a mafia movies,\u201d one man who works as a roofer said of his white Ford van destroyed in the incident. \u201cThe fire spread like gasoline had been poured all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n A blue Toyota Camry also exploded in the blaze, according to the vehicle\u2019s owner.<\/p>\n \u201cI got a call that my car was on fire,\u201d said the woman, who did not want to be identified. \u201cIt started in the trash and spread. I heard some firefighters were injured. It\u2019s so sad, I don\u2019t have the capacity. I\u2019m distraught.\u201d<\/p>\n The fire was placed under control around 8:19 p.m.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were standing on the steps and a group of kids walked by and then there was a fire,\u201d a construction worker who didn\u2019t want to be identified, told The News. \u201cWe tried to throw water on it but it kept growing and then there was an explosion,\u201d he said, adding the injured firefighters \u201cwere standing close by to the flames.\u201d<\/p>\n It was unclear what sparked the explosion, and an investigation is underway, officials said.<\/p>\n EMS transported the injured firefighters to Jacobi Hospital <\/a>for evaluation, the FDNY said.<\/p>\n Of the seven injured firefighters, five suffered burns to the hands and face. Three of the injured were admitted to Jacobi and were in stable condition, officials said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe burns are considered serious, but not life threatening,\u201d FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said at a late night press conference. \u201cThe members, our firefighters, are awake, alert and speaking, but they have some serious burns. We\u2019ll be obviously praying for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Sheldon Teperman of Jacobi said at the press conference that he expects all the injured firefighters to recover.<\/p>\n \u201cI was just telling the chief that I\u2019ll be worried until they\u2019re all home, but we do expect that they will recover from their injuries,\u201d he said. \u201cI would say one thing though\u2026 I was talking to each of your members, you know, a wall of fire came on them and surrounded them. What they were concerned about is their colleagues and their families. And there is a reason why we refer to you folks as New York\u2019s Greatest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n The MD-11 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff, igniting a fire and causing injuries near Louisville\u2019s airport\n <\/p>\n November 04, 2025 06:45 PM<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Robert Tucker submitted his resignation hours after Zohran Mamdani was announced the winner of NYC\u2019s mayoral election\n <\/p>\n November 05, 2025 09:01 AM<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Preparation transforms uncertainty into confidence and ensures your organization is ready for whatever comes next\n <\/p>\n November 06, 2025 10:41 AM<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Stock up at 5.11 Tactical, grab a free meal at Chili\u2019s, and enjoy more deals honoring U.S. military and first responders\n <\/p>\n November 05, 2025 04:57 PM<\/p>\n \u00a92025 New York Daily News.<\/p>\n
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