An explosion on a boat in the Hammond Cove Marina near Locust Point literally shook nearby homes, but resulted in no injuries thanks to a little bit of luck and the quick response of the Fire Department.
At 6:01 p.m. on Sunday, June 21, Throggs Neck residents reported hearing a large bang and looked up to see a big plume of black smoke rising in the sky.
A 32-foot closed cabin boat at the Hammond Cove Marina, located near the corner of Harding Avenue and Throgs Neck Expressway, exploded due to causes that are now under investigation. However, those nearby thanked the quick work of the fire department for containing the blaze.
“The boat went on fire, but no one got hurt and there was no damage to any other property,” said Terry Dambinskas, owner of the Ice House Café, directly next to the marina. “We are very lucky that the fire department got here in three minutes. That was the saving grace.”
The FDNY listed the fire under control at 6:44 p.m. A call was placed to the fire marshal, but it does not appear to be suspicious.
The blast may have caused a tremor in the neighborhood, but eyewitnesses said it did not have a major impact on the afternoon, when many were outdoors celebrating Father’s Day.
Jerry Landi, vice president of the Locust Point Civic Association, said that ironically he was testing his remote control boat in a swimming pool when he heard the explosion.
“We were just sitting in our backyard and we heard this loud blast, with the ground actually shaking underneath our feet a little bit,” Landi said. “There was a black cloud of smoke rising from the marina. Within minutes, it seemed like there were 100 firefighters containing the fire.”
No injuries were reported in relation to the explosion.
