Unapproved use of a propane torch on deck triggered the fatal explosion aboard the New York City municipal sludge tanker Hunts Point, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report. The May 26, 2025 blast killed Chief Engineer Raymond Feige, a 34-year veteran of the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, and injured two other crew members while the vessel was docked at the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Hudson River.

Feige was attempting to remove broken bolts from a hatch cover when the torch ignited flammable methane gas in the hold. DEP procedures prohibited open flame on tanker decks and required a hot work permit, which was never completed. The vessel’s master told investigators he had specifically instructed the chief engineer not to use a torch near the tanks. The NTSB concluded that other tools were available that would have removed the bolts without risk, and that the casualty was preventable.

Damage to the Hunts Point is estimated at $10 million, and the tanker has not returned to service. The DEP has since issued two memos directing personnel to review hot work procedures and sludge-related hazards, and says the findings are being used to strengthen safety training, communication and accountability across its operations.

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