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Coast Guard Rescues Hundreds Of Passengers From Ferry On Fire

Screenshot/Twitter/CrimeInNYC

Taylor Giles Contributor
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A New York City ferry caught fire Thursday night with nearly 700 passengers on board.

The fire started on Staten Island Ferry Sandy Ground, according to a tweet by the U.S. Coast Guard. The ferry was in the New York Harbor at the time of the fire.

Approximately 588 passengers were evacuated by a New Jersey Ferry, according to the New York Post. The rest of the passengers reportedly stayed on board while the ferry was pushed to the Staten Island terminal.

The fire was contained to the engine room of the ship, the New York Post reported. (RELATED: Two Trapped, Hundreds Rescued As Greece-Italy Ferry Goes Up In Flames)

“During this evening’s rush, the #StatenIslandFerry the Sandy Ground, had to be temporarily anchored near Bayonne due to a fire limited to the engine room,” New York City Department of Transportation tweeted. “We are currently working alongside our sister agencies to coordinate a safe transfer of passengers to other vessels.”

The Sandy Ground was commissioned Feb. 25 by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to a news release by the City of New York. The ferry is named after the first free Black community in New York.