Two Held in Kingsbridge Explosion as Thousands Mourn Fallen Firefighter
by David Greene
Thousands of firefighters from around the city paid their respects to a fallen comrade as police arrested the two men suspected of running the marijuana farm that exploded inside a Kingsbridge home.
Firefighter’s continue to search through the rubble for additional victims after a drug lab exploded along West 234 Street.–Photo by David Greene
Firefighters were called to the home at 300 West 234 Street at Tibbett Avenue at just after 6 a.m., for a report of a natural gas leak, when they discovered the marijuana growing operation and called police. Multiple sources say that after further investigation, the home exploded at just before 7 a.m., on Tuesday, September 27, as police, fire and Con Edison officials were exiting the two-family home.
Falling debris from the home, including a section of the building’s roof that rained down on those exiting the home, killing FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy, a member of Battalion 19.
Eleven others were injured in the blast that was heard as far away as Kingsbridge Road and Riverdale. Four police officers and a Con Edison worker were among those injured.
A sea of firefighters stand around debris that landed on the street and a parked vehicle after an explosion on West 234 Street. — Photo by David Greene
One longtime resident, “Sheila,” saw the home minutes after the explosion, she reported, “You could see the roof and a hole and then it all capsized down,” as the remaining part of the building caved in. The back of the building is nearly all gone and most of the home had collapsed onto West 234 Street. Officials continue to have the entire block shut down nearly a week later.
Shelia said that for years the home in question was rented to students of Manhattan College, but couldn’t say who lived their at the time of the blast.
One resident a full block from the home, recalled, “We heard a big bang… I was actually on the toilet and it rocked the toilet, it was very powerful… it shook the house.”
Another resident was taking a shower and thought it was thunder, when he came outside his home to see school officials evacuating students and faculty from P.S. 7 on Corlear Avenue. The conversation then turned to the recent bombings in Lower Manhattan and New Jersey, the homeowner offered, “It’s always on anyone’s mind with an explosion, of course it triggers a scare with everybody.”
Told of the firefighter’s death, another resident reported, “I just saw a bunch of them walking back this way and they looked very distraught, so now I guess I know why, they lost one of there’s. It’s very sad, it’s a tragedy.”
A freshman at Manhattan College offered, “I just moved to New York and my first reaction was like, this is something really bad, like terrorism. So I’m slightly relieved to know that. But it’s a little terrifying to be new to the neighborhood and this happening.”
Less than 48-hours later police would charge Garibaldi Castillo, 32, with two counts of criminal possession of marijuana, and remains held without bail.
A second suspect, Julio Salcedo, 34, was also in custody for the marijuana possession, but those charges could be upgraded to include manslaughter.
Several officials were reporting that the home had been under surveillance for the last month by the NYPD and the Drug Enforcement Agency after an anonymous tip.
Fahy, who was posthumously promoted to Deputy Chief on Thursday, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said of Fahy, “Chief Fahy achieved the rank of Chief Officer faster than any active member of the Department.”
Black and blue bunting outside of Battalion 19 honors the death of FDNY Battalion Chief Michael Fahy. — Photo by David Greene
A funeral mass for Fahy was held at the Annunciation Church in Yonkers that was attended by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Commissioner Nigro.
Fahy, a 17-year member of the FDNY, leaves behind a wife Fiona, and children Anna Elisabeth, Cormac and Michael, who range in age from 8 – 11 years-old.
Fahy was laid to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, N.Y.
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