NEW YORK (AP) — Emergency crews evacuated about 900 passengers and crew from a ferry departing from Manhattan to Staten Island after an engine room fire sent clouds of smoke over New York Harbor, they said the authorities on Friday.
Five people were injured in the fire on Thursday, three of whom were hospitalized with minor injuries, firefighters said at a news conference.
Rescue units arrived shortly after 5.00pm to transfer the passengers to other vessels.
The Sandy Ground vessel was temporarily docked near Bayonne, New Jersey while passengers were being transferred. A spokesman for NY Intracoastal Waterway said one of its vessels assisted in the rescue and brought passengers to the St. George terminal on Staten Island.
There were about 868 passengers and 16 crew members aboard the Sandy Ground, Deputy Fire Chief Frank Leeb said at a news conference.
The department will wait 24 hours and monitor the temperature before entering the engine room to determine if the flames are completely extinguished.
Authorities said the fire was under investigation.
