1 critically hurt after boat fire near NYC's Hart Island forces nearly 2 dozen into water - CBS New York
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/ CBS New York
1 critically injured in boat fire near Hart Island
A boat fire near Hart Island forced nearly two dozen people into the water Saturday night, and one person is reported to be in critical condition.
Officials said routine marine patrols came across a 35-foot Carver boat that was on fire near the east end of the island around 8:30 p.m. The crews noticed multiple people in the water and called for more emergency responders.
Video from Citizen app shows large plumes of smoke billowing into the air.
Police said 22 people were on board the private boat.
According to FDNY Assistant Chief Mike Meyers, three people had to be pulled from the water. One of those victims was last reported to be in critical condition. The other two are expected to be OK.
Nineteen other people were able to swim to shore on their own, Meyers said. They were then taken to a local hospital to be checked out.
At one point, police had to shut down City Island to allow emergency crews access, as there is only one way on and off the island. The bridge has since reopened to traffic.
Meyers said responding to incidents on the water is very difficult.
"We have to get those patients from the water or from boats onto the land and coordinate the land units and EMS units as to where those marine boats are gonna be bringing them," he said. "So it's an incredibly complex operation. Multiple agencies are always involved just like tonight."
The cause of the boat fire is under investigation.
Naveen Dhaliwal joined the CBS News New York team in April 2023 as a general assignment reporter covering stories of all kinds across the tri-state area. Prior to CBS New York, Naveen reported for WABC-TV. She was first to report the rash of South Asian attacks in the Spring of 2022. Naveen won an Emmy for her work during the July 2019 Manhattan blackout.
