Two women were hospitalized — one with serious injuries — when the cover to a circular air vent outside a Midtown parking garage exploded, sending chunks of debris in the pedestrians’ direction. According to a report in the New York Daily News, FDNY officials believe the explosion, which occurred the night of Nov. 20, may have been caused by a malfunction in the building’s emergency diesel-powered generator inside the building.
The victims, both 25, were across the street from the parking garage on East 53rd Street near Lexington Avenue, which is part of the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, when the blast occurred. The cover to an air vent blew off, flying across the street, striking the two women as they walked past the garage. A witness told the Daily News he heard a big boom and saw the women get hit by the flying steel vent cover. Another witness said he rushed to help the women and saw one of them lying on the ground, not moving.
FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Abbamonte told reporters that there was “some sort of backdraft or a back puff of the generator that caused the vent assembly to explode and come off the building” as it propelled across the street and struck the women. According to officials, one of the women suffered a cut to her arm and the other suffered a gash wound to her head. Fire marshals are still working to pinpoint the cause of the explosion. Our thoughts and prayers are with the two injured victims. We wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Liability for injuries to victims in such explosion cases typically depends on those who had a duty to maintain, inspect or secure the premises and whether they failed to meet that responsibility. In most cases, the property owner or manager is the primary party responsible. In this incident, the property owner/manager is obligated to ensure that building components such as HVAC vents, grates, or exterior covers are properly installed and regularly inspected. If the investigation finds here that the explosion happened and that the vent cover had come loose due to neglect, corrosion or improper maintenance then the property owner/manager of the parking garage can be held liable under premises liability laws.
In some situations, liability may extend to additional parties. For example, if a contractor recently worked on the ventilation system and failed to install the cover correctly, the contractor or their employer can be held responsible for negligent (careless) workmanship. Similarly, if the vent cover had a manufacturing or design defect that made it prone to breaking or detaching, the manufacturer might face product liability claims. Determining liability in these types of incidents often requires examining maintenance records, repair histories and the condition of the vent itself. A careful investigation is necessary here to identify the party or parties whose negligence (carelessness) allowed the vent cover to become dangerous. An experienced New York personal injury lawyer can help gather evidence, determine liability and potential compensation in such scenarios.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an incident because of the negligence (carelessness) of a property owner, property manager or another party, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
For over 54 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. We also recovered $1,500,000 for a lady who was hurt by a bus.
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Source: https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/11/21/midtown-parking-garage-explosion-injures-2-women-one-critically/