Possible Cause of Bronx Fire and Explosion
A lit cigarette may have triggered a massive explosion in the Bronx, sending a fireball into the night sky and injuring seven firefighters.
Incident Details
Surveillance footage from Wednesday evening shows someone throwing a lit cigarette on the sidewalk in the Longwood neighborhood. Strong winds appeared to blow the cigarette into a pile of garbage, sparking a fire that spread to multiple parked cars.
Firefighters' Response and Explosion
Firefighters arrived and worked to extinguish the fire when an explosion occurred on Fox Street near Westchester Avenue, sending a fireball several stories into the air.
The blast injured seven firefighters, causing burns to their hands and faces, though none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The firefighters were treated at Jacobi Hospital, with two still recovering the following evening. The explosion and fire left charred debris along the street, with at least one car severely damaged and towed away the next morning.
Impact on Local Residents
A woman told NBC New York the exploded car was hers. She lost two strollers and expensive car seats, forcing her to find alternate transportation for her and her two toddlers.
Context of Garbage Presence
Residents noted the trash should not have been there at that time, but due to Election Day, garbage collection was postponed to Thursday.
Summary
The combination of a carelessly discarded cigarette and wind likely ignited garbage, triggering a fire and explosion that injured firefighters and disrupted local residents.
Would you like the text to be more formal or conversational?