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Seven firefighters sustained injuries after a car explosion on a Bronx street Wednesday night (November 5). The incident occurred when a trash fire spread to several vehicles, causing a massive explosion, according to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
The FDNY received a call around 7 p.m. reporting a car fire on Westchester Avenue. Upon arrival, firefighters found multiple cars and piles of garbage ablaze. As they worked to control the fire, a sudden explosion sent a fireball several stories high, as reported by WABC.
Chief of Department John Esposito stated, "Shortly after we arrived on the scene, there was some sort of explosion, a large fireball."
Five of the injured firefighters suffered serious burns to their hands and faces, while three were admitted to a local hospital. Despite the severity of their injuries, all firefighters are expected to make a full recovery, according to Dr. Sheldon Teperman of Jacobi Medical Center, who is treating some of the injured.
The incident also caused damage to one of the responding fire engines.
The blaze was brought under control by 8:20 p.m., but the cause of the initial fire remains under investigation.