Sewage boat blast kills city worker on NY’s Hudson River

ISTANBUL

A city employee was killed and another injured Saturday in an explosion aboard a sewage transport boat docked on the Hudson River in New York, authorities said.

The incident happened around 10.30 am local time (1430GMT) near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant while workers aboard the Hunts Point vessel were conducting operations involving flame or sparks, said the US Coast Guard.

The vessel, owned by the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, is used to transport untreated sewage for processing.

Emergency responders found a 59-year-old man unconscious in the river. He was declared dead at the scene.

A second worker was hospitalized with injuries, while a third refused medical treatment, said deputy assistant chief David Simms from the New York Fire Department.

Mayor Eric Adams said the dead worker had served the city for more the three decades. “He was a devoted public servant who gave 33 years of service to New York City,” Adams said in a statement, extending condolences to the victim’s loved ones.

The explosion scattered raw sewage across the boat deck, requiring first responders to be decontaminated. Simms noted no hazardous environmental effects were identified.

Authorities said there is no indication of criminal intent. An investigation into the exact cause continues.