NTSB Blames Unapproved Hot Work for Deadly NYC Sludge Tanker Explosion

By Daniel Katzive (gCaptain) – Unapproved use of a propane torch on deck triggered the explosion aboard a New York City municipal sludge tanker Hunts Point last May, according to a report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board last month. The blast killed the vessel’s chief engineer and injured two other crew members while causing significant damage to the vessel. 

Chief Engineer Raymond Feige died in the blast on May 26, 2025. Feige was 59 years old and a 34-year veteran employee of the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, New York’s water and sewer agency. Feige had served