Fire, shipyard explosion on Staten Island injures at least 16, including 3 seriously

A fire and explosion at a shipyard on Staten Island has injured at least 16 people, including three seriously

ByMICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press and REBECCA BOONE Associated Press

NEW YORK -- A fire and explosion at a shipyard on New York City's Staten Island has injured at least 16 people, including three with serious injuries, the New York Fire Department said.

Someone reported two workers trapped in a confined space at the dock at about 3:30 p.m. Friday, and responding firefighters found a fire burning in the basement of a metal structure at the dock, said Joanne Mariano with the fire department's press office.

Crews were still fighting the fire when a major explosion occurred at the site roughly 50 minutes later, she said.

The fire was still burning and emergency workers had counted 16 people on site with injuries by 5 p.m., Mariano said, including two firefighters and one civilian with serious injuries.

It wasn't yet clear if anyone had died in the fire and explosion. The cause is still under investigation.