1 dead in New York sewage-boat explosion on Hudson River

One man died Saturday morning after an explosion on a boat carrying raw sewage that was docked on the Hudson River in New York, authorities said.

The Associated Press
May 24, 2025 at 7:20PM

NEW YORK — One man died Saturday morning after an explosion on a boat carrying raw sewage that was docked on the Hudson River in New York, authorities said.

Two other workers on the city-owned Hunts Point were hurt and taken to the hospital after the blast around 10:30 a.m., New York City Fire Department Deputy Assistant Chief David Simms said at a news conference.

The boat takes raw sewage to be treated, Simms said.

The men on the boat were doing work involving a flame or sparks when the explosion happened, the U.S. Coast Guard said on social media.

First responders answering a 911 call found a 59-year-old man unconscious in the river, and he was declared dead at the scene, New York police said.

The explosion happened near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The blast spread raw sewage over the deck of the boat, and firefighters and other first responders had to be decontaminated, Simms said.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion. The man's name was not released.

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