2 firefighters injured, 12 vessels damaged in massive Staten Island harbor fire

New York’s Staten Island. Two firefighters were hurt when a raging fire in Great Kills Harbor took more than five hours for first responders to put out.

According to an FDNY representative, the fire was initially reported at 112 Mansion Ave. between Great Kills Road and McKee Avenue at approximately 4:38 a.m.

Deputy Chief David Simms, the interim Staten Island borough commander, stated that while the cause of the fire is still unknown and is being looked into by the Bureau of Investigation Fire Marshals, it is thought to have started from a single dry docked boat.

The Great Kills Harbor sight after Wednesday, December 11, 2024, when a fire damaged 12 boats. Luke Peteley/Staten Island AdvanceLuke Pete/Staten Island Advance

According to Simms, there were twelve boats participating. And when I say boats, I mean big boats—not little fishing boats, but boats that were 30, 40, or 50 feet long.

Simms added that every boat damaged in the massive fire was dry docked up on stands.

Simms continued, “It made a very difficult fire because we had to extinguish from a distance due to the boats’ stability concerns.”

Simms pointed out that searches of the boats were still going on even though the FDNY spokeswoman said that the fire was contained by 9:57 a.m.

Simms clarified, “We’re going to keep searching, but stability is a problem again.” Before we can put people back on the vessels, we must stabilize all of them.

A total of 106 fire and emergency medical professionals from 25 units arrived on the site. Two firefighters were sent to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze after sustaining minor injuries.

The stench of smoke persisted over the harbor where the remains of the dozen burned ships were still visible, even after the fire was contained.