Seven firefighters were hospitalized after a car erupted in flames on a New York City street Wednesday night.
Chilling video footage captured the dramatic moment as a fireball soared into the night sky while firefighters battled the blaze.
The New York City Fire Department stated that they responded to a call about a car fire in the Bronx. Upon arrival, they discovered several cars and piles of garbage engulfed in flames.
As they worked to extinguish the fire, an explosion occurred at 7:06 p.m., injuring seven firefighters. Five of them sustained burns to their hands and faces.
Three of the injured firefighters were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The FDNY shared on X that the burns were serious but not life-threatening.
‘Our firefighters are awake, alert and speaking, but they have some serious burns and we’ll be praying for them.’
No pedestrian injuries have been reported, and the blaze was completely under control by 8.19pm, the New York Post reports.
Multiple firefighters were injured while battling a blaze in the Bronx on Wednesday
Terrifying footage from the scene showed a ball of flames growing in the distance and rising up into the air as firefighters tried to tamp down a blaze
The blaze came just hours after Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker handed in his letter of recognition
It remains unclear what may have caused the explosion, which came just hours after the city’s fire department commissioner handed in his letter of recognition.
Robert Tucker, who is Jewish, will step down from his position on December 19, sources told The New York Post.
His resignation came hours after Democratic Socialist Mamdani, who is anti-Israel, defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa and former state governor Andrew Cuomo.
It remains unclear exactly why he tendered his resignation. The Daily Mail has approached Tucker for further comment.
A source told the New York Daily News that there were no talks between Tucker and Mamdani’s team about him staying on in his role under the new mayor.
The same source added that due to Tucker’s religion and pro-Israel stance the commissioner felt that he wouldn’t fit in well with Mamdani and his team.
Mamdani’s win, which saw him take over 50 percent of the vote, means he will become the city’s first Muslim mayor.
He told supporters: ‘I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this.’
The 34-year-old directly addressed the president, saying: ‘Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up!’
Tucker will now reportedly make a return to running a private security firm he had led before joining Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
But before that, he was set to fly to Israel later to meet with a fellow fire commissioner.
The burned out vehicle is pictured following the blaze, which was completely under control by 8.19pm
No pedestrian injuries were reported in the explosion
Five firefighters were rushed to a local hospital for burns of varying severity
Tucker was named New York City’s fire commissioner last August, having no actual experience as a firefighter.
His father Barry Tucker held a copy of a Tanach that was used at Tucker’s bar mitzvah during his swearing-in ceremony alongside Mayor Adams.
Gothamist reported last December that just six weeks before being sworn in, eight employees from Tucker’s firm donated to Adams’ re-election campaign.
The Campaign Finance Board flagged the payments as they all came from employees of the same firm, on the same day, raising questions.
The donations flagged were for $200 each and were all made on June 30 of last year, according to the report. Adams then appointed Tucker on August 12.
