Statue of Liberty Temporarily Closed Due to Fire

by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:24 AM ET, Tue August 28, 2018

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City, but it was evacuated Monday due to a fire that broke out at a construction site on the island.

According to Reuters.com, the blaze broke out Monday at around 12 p.m. local time on Liberty Island near three propane gas cylinders found on a construction site. Officials called for an evacuation "out of an abundance of caution."

In total, around 3,400 tourists and employees visiting the Statue of Liberty were ferried off the island to nearby Ellis Island.

New York Fire Department spokesman Jim Long told Reuters the fire left one construction worker injured and forced officials to use two fire boats to stop the flames. The blaze was brought under control by the early afternoon.

Assistant Fire Chief Roger Sakowich said on Twitter that if the propane tanks exploded, it would have been catastrophic.

With that much propane, had one of the tanks exploded - it was would have been catastrophic. We took the precaution to evacuate 3,400 civilians from the island. There was one worker who sustained a non-life-threatening injury. -#FDNY Assistant Chief Roger Sakowich

- FDNY (@FDNY) August 27, 2018

Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty reopened later Monday afternoon and tourists are once again allowed to visit the historical site.

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