Man Arrested After Boat Explosion in Long Island Sound Forces 22 to Flee into Water

New York City, NY – A Bronx man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) following a dramatic boat explosion and fire in the Long Island Sound near Hart Island on Saturday night, June 7, 2025. The incident forced 22 passengers to jump into the water to escape the flames, leaving three injured, one critically, according to authorities.

The explosion occurred around 8:30 p.m. off the east end of Hart Island, across from City Island in the Bronx, when the vessel burst into flames, sending thick black smoke billowing into the night sky. Assistant Fire Chief Michael Meyer of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) reported that the fire was sparked by an explosion on the boat, though the exact cause remains under investigation. Video footage captured by the Citizen app showed the intense blaze and smoke rising from the vessel.

Three passengers were rescued from the water, including one in critical condition, while the remaining 19 swam to the nearby Hart Island. The Coast Guard, New York Police Department (NYPD), and FDNY transported the survivors to a boat basin on City Island, where they were evaluated at local hospitals. All are expected to recover, Meyer told reporters. “Hopefully, they’ll pull through,” he said.

The NYPD confirmed the arrest of the boat’s operator, a Bronx resident, on charges of DWI. Authorities have not released the suspect’s name or additional details about the circumstances leading to the explosion, but sources indicated the fire’s intensity forced immediate action from passengers to avoid harm.

The incident disrupted local traffic, with the bridge to City Island temporarily closed as ambulances transported victims. Social media posts captured the chaos, with images of emergency responders and plumes of smoke circulating widely.

This explosion marks the second high-profile maritime incident in New York City waters in recent weeks. On May 24, 2025, a sewage transport boat explosion on the Hudson River killed a Department of Environmental Protection worker, though authorities ruled out criminal intent in that case.

Investigators from the FDNY and NYPD, alongside the Coast Guard, continue to probe the cause of the Long Island Sound explosion. The public is urged to provide any relevant information to the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline.

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