Liberty Island Evacuated When Propane Tanks Catch Fire: Officials

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — Authorities evacuated Liberty Island on Monday after three propane cylinders caught fire at a construction site. Multiple emergency service units from Manhattan and New Jersey helped evacuate the island, reports stated.

The New York City Fire Department initially released the following statement on social media about the evacuation:

“FDNY members are operating on scene on the north side of Liberty Island - 3 propane cylinders on fire at a construction site. There are currently no injuries reported. The area is being evacuated.”

The NYFD issued an update soon afterwards, stating that at least one worker was injured in the fire.

Officials with the Statue of Liberty National Monument said Monday that the island was being evacuated and closed "for everyone's safety" due to a fire.

New York City officials said local commuters should expect traffic delays and a heavy emergency responder presence near Battery Park and Pier 11 in Manhattan. Drivers were advised to consider alternate routes and allow for additional travel time.

Liberty Island is located in the Upper New York Bay within the waters of New Jersey. The federally owned island is operated by the National Park Service (NPS), and is best known as the home of the Statue of Liberty.

The public is brought to Liberty Island by concessionaire boats leaving Battery Park, Manhattan in New York City and Liberty State Park in New Jersey. It is open every day except Dec. 25. According to the NPS, 4.5 million park visitors visited the Statue Of Liberty National Monument in 2016.

This is a developing story. Patch will update this article if more information becomes available.

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Photo: CBS New York / YouTube