Bronx Fire and Explosion Injure Seven Firefighters
A lit cigarette may have sparked a massive explosion in the Bronx, resulting in a fireball that lit up the night sky and injured multiple firefighters. Surveillance footage from Wednesday evening appears to show someone tossing a cigarette onto the sidewalk in the Longwood neighborhood. Strong winds blew the cigarette into a pile of trash, igniting a fire that spread to several parked cars.
Fire and Explosion Details
Firefighters arrived quickly to put out the fire, but while working on Fox Street near Westchester Avenue, an explosion occurred, sending a fireball several stories high. Seven firefighters were injured, suffering burns to their hands and faces. Fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The injured firefighters were taken to Jacobi Hospital, where two were still recovering as of Thursday evening.
Aftermath and Community Impact
The explosion left charred debris scattered along the street. At least one car was so badly damaged it was towed away in burned remnants the next morning. A woman told NBC New York that the destroyed car was hers and that she also lost two strollers and expensive car seats, forcing her to find alternative transportation for herself and her two toddlers.
"It was my car that exploded, and I lost two strollers and expensive car seats," she said.
Residents noted that trash was not normally left on the street at that time, but due to Election Day, garbage collection was postponed to Thursday.
Summary
This incident highlights how a small spark, combined with unusual circumstances like delayed trash pickup, can trigger dangerous fires and explosions, significantly impacting local firefighters and residents.