1 person has died after blast at New York City shipyard that also injured 36 people, officials say

A fire and explosion at a shipyard on New York City's Staten Island has injured at least 16 people. (Photo: AP)

One person has died after blast Friday at a New York City shipyard, officials say. Officials said 36 people were injured, most of them firefighters and other first responders, and one civilian died.

Someone reported two workers trapped in a confined space at the dock at about 3.30 pm 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 pm, 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.